Dandelion
by BookHobbit
Summary: PostROTK fic. Pippin's granddaughter and her best friend are banished from the Great Smials and go to Buckland. There, they find a messenger from Gondor and the beginning of a great adventure... No slash. Chapter 15 up!
1. An Argument

Disclaimer- I don't own LOTR, and I'm sure you're very shocked.  
  
A/N- This is my first fanfic and I'm not certain if I should continue it or not, so please read and review! Any constructive criticism/ tips/ odd comments are welcome! Enjoy!  
  
"Miss Dandy! Miss Dandy!" A small hobbit child rushed through the streets of Tuckborough and very nearly ran into the older hobbit he sought. "Miss Dandy!" he shouted into her startled face.  
  
"That's Miss Took to you, Sando Proudfoot," replied Dandelion Took, brushing back one of her golden curls and raising an eyebrow at the youngster. "Now what reason could you possibly have for running through Tuckborough as if a band of orcs were after you?"  
  
"I- was-," Sando panted, "talkin' to Mister Sandyman."  
  
"Oh," said Dandelion, sniffing; she disliked the miller's son as her grandfathers had disliked Sandyman's grandfather. "Whatever about?"  
  
"Well, he asked me what I was learnin' at school, an' I told him we was-"  
  
"Were."  
  
"Were learnin' about Nine-Fingered Frodo, an' Mayor Samwise, an' Thain Peregrin, an' Master Meriadoc, an' he asked why you was teachin' about them when you should be teachin' about real heroes like his grandfather, not some hobbits who came and messed things up, an' I said I didn't know, an' he laughed an' told me to ask you. So what did his grandfather do, Miss Dan-- Took?"  
  
Dandelion was too upset by this to correct her pupil's grammar, but fortunately her helper and friend, Poppy Cotton, had heard the whole recital. "Come along, Sando. If you want, we'll learn more about the Scouring of the Shire later today, all right?"  
  
"All right, Miss Cotton." Oblivious to the gathering storm that was his teacher, Sando went into the smial that served as a school.  
  
"Now Dandelion," began Poppy, trying to calm her friend down, "don't do anything rash--"  
  
"Anything rash?!" Dandelion repeated, whirling to face Poppy. Her green eyes flared in anger. "Did you hear what that- that- that half-orc said? He insulted my ancestors, and yours as well Poppy! Why should we let him go about slandering other people's names when--"  
  
This time, it was Poppy who interrupted. "Dandelion Took, you know that no hobbit out of their tweens listens to anything any Sandyman says. They're a bad lot, and they try and save face by saying bad things about others. We'll teach the children about the Scouring today, those that don't know about it already, and that'll be the end of it, all right?"  
  
"No, it won't. He's been doing this since the summer was half-over, and now he's gone too far. Trying to stir up trouble when he's drunk at the Green Dragon is one thing, but when he starts defaming my grandparents, I'll--" Dandelion's green eyes flashed again, but she was (again) interrupted.  
  
"Well, well, if it ain't the schoolmarms. Shouldn't you be teachin' the kiddies about Elvish history or some such nonsense? Or do they wanna know what really happened an' you're afraid to tell 'em?"  
  
Poppy sighed as Dandelion turned to face the sneering Fred Sandyman. He had been trying the Took for a long time, and now he had gone too far. "Fred Sandyman, unless you want to start something you can't finish, or maybe learn better Westron, you had better leave immediately," she said, placing one hand on her friend's arm as if to hold her back.  
  
"Pah!" Fred spat. "I wasn't talkin' to you, Poppy Cotton. I was talkin' to the one who's been teachin' a fat load of rubbish to all the children in the Shire. Gold rings and Elves indeed!" He spat again. "Teach 'em what really happened, is what I say."  
  
"And what might that be, Sandyman?" asked Dandelion, her voice dangerously low.  
  
"Like what my grandfather did. Fought off twenty of those ruffians bare-handed, he did, only to have his glory stole by Mad Bag--"  
  
He was cut off by Dandelion leaping at him and punching him straight in the eye. She would have gotten his other eye, too, but a pair of strong hands pulled her off of the screaming Sandyman.  
  
"Now, now, Dandy-lass, what seems to be the matter?" asked the owner of the hands, who turned out to be none other than her own father, Thain Faramir. He frowned when he saw Fred on the ground, one hand over his eye. "You go back to your home, Fred Sandyman, and don't go bothering this school any more," he ordered.  
  
"But I- but she--"  
  
"No buts. Go on now, or I'll call the Shirriffs on you for interfering with the school."  
  
Sniveling, Fred turned and hurried off, leaving Dandelion still held by her father and Poppy looking relieved but more than a little irritated.  
  
"What happened, Poppy?" Faramir asked, sensing his youngest daughter needed some time to calm down before she could speak.  
  
"Well, sir, Sando Proudfoot asked us about some things that Fred had said, not knowing any better, and Dandelion got rather mad, so when Fred came swaggering up here, one thing led to another and she pounced."  
  
Pounced? Faramir thought. "What kind of things?"  
  
Poppy hesitated, even though the Thain was a more reasonable and less quick-tempered hobbit than his golden-haired daughter. "Just some things about, er, about..."  
  
"About your father, Papa, and Mum's, and Mister Frodo and Mister Meriadoc," Dandelion said angrily. "And if he says any more, or shows his face near my school again, I won't waste time talking."  
  
The Thain cut her off by raising one hand and sighing tiredly. Unlike her sisters and brother, she had an anger that often threatened to boil over, especially when the sensitive subject of her grandparents and their friends came up. She was a handful sometimes, he thought, but he almost smiled. She could remind him a lot of his father, especially when his father had gotten very excited over something. "Now, Dandy-lass, don't go getting all upset over nothing. Don't pay any attention to what that fool says, you'll just waste your time. I want you to take a while off of your teaching, and visit your cousins in Buckland for a few days while your temper cools down. Besides, Cousin Theo wrote you a letter asking you to come see his new puppy."  
  
Dandelion felt some of her anger melt away at the mention of one of her favorite cousins. "That rascal, Papa? He'd say anything to get me to come see him. I won't believe he's really got a new puppy until I see it."  
  
"Why don't you go too, Poppy? Surely you can use a break," Faramir suggested.  
  
"I'd love to, sir, but the school--"  
  
"Can handle being closed for a few days. Come on, Poppy, when was the last time you had some real fun?" Dandelion grinned, her eyes lighting again, but this time with mischief.  
  
The other hobbit replied dryly, "Let's see. Isn't that what you said when we 'visited' Farmer Maggot's and your new dress was ripped in half by his dogs?"  
  
"Poppy!" groaned Dandelion as her father looked at her askance.  
  
"Dandelion Took, you said you tore it on a fence! That settles it, the pair of you are banished from the Great Smials until you've visited Buckland!" 


	2. Laughs and Battles

Disclaimer- I still don't own LOTR, but I do claim the story and any characters not mentioned by Tolkien.  
  
spoilt_alex- Thanks for the review! I hope the format is better on this new chapter.  
  
GreyLadyBast- My story's on your favorites list! [Jaw drops] Thanks a lot! This isn't my first fic, technically, but it's the first one I've posted that's not going to end up becoming a never-been-finished story. (Hopefully!) Thanks for your review!  
  
A/N- The format should be easier to read now, and as always, please read and review!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"Thanks, Poppy," Dandelion grumbled as the two made their way down a steep hill that was filled with thorns. "First, telling Papa how I ripped my dress, and now, leading us into a maze of briars!"  
  
"Me?" Poppy asked incredulously, "I led us? How can I lead if I'm behind you, O All-knowing One?"  
  
Dandelion stopped and turned to face the other hobbit, her face the picture of confusion. "Wait. You're not leading us?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Then who is?"  
  
Poppy's eyes widened. "You don't mean to say that you don't know the way, do you?"  
  
"Er, well, uh," Dandelion mumbled.  
  
"This is just wonderful, I'm lost in the Shire with a hobbit who's supposed to be a teacher and she can't find her way to Buckland!"  
  
"Now hang on," the golden-haired hobbit interjected, "I can find the way to Buckland, even if I don't know where we currently...are."  
  
"And how will you do that?" Poppy asked as they made their painful way back up the hill.  
  
"Simple!" Poppy raised an eyebrow as the Took continued. "The Brandywine is east, right?" "Right."  
  
"And it's past tea-time, so the sun is in the west. So, we just put our backs to the sun and we'll be going east, to the Brandywine and Buckland!"  
  
"Wow, Dandelion, that plan might actually work," Poppy said in amazement as they walked down a less-thorny side of the hill.  
  
They carried on for a few seconds, then the older hobbit stopped, blinking. "What d'you mean, 'might actually work'? I'll have you know, all of my plans always work!"  
  
"Oh, yes," Poppy added, laughing, "like the time you painted your mum's fence--"  
  
"I didn't know she didn't like purple."  
  
"And the time you 'taught' Theo fencing--"  
  
"It was just a little scratch, he got over it."  
  
"And the time you made mushroom hot-cakes--"  
  
"Not everyone got sick over those."  
  
"And the time--"  
  
"Enough! Okay, maybe all of my plans don't work. But," Dandelion held up a finger, "this one is foolproof."  
  
'Good,' Poppy thought, 'because I'm being dragged halfway across the Shire by a foolish Took.'  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Did I say that out loud?" Poppy winced and ran due east, an irate Dandelion behind her.  
  
"I'll 'foolish Took' you!"  
  
* * *  
  
A few hours, a wild chase, and a truce later saw the pair ready to make camp. Or at least, saw Dandelion ready to make camp.  
  
"Poppy, we don't have to reach Buckland today," she called to her friend, who was quite a distance in front of her.  
  
"Hmm? Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were right behind me, Dandy. I take it you want to rest?" Poppy smiled.  
  
"Yes. Let's make our camp," she stomped the ground resolutely, "here."  
  
"That's fine with me, but you might want to ask the bees how they like it."  
  
"What?" Dandelion looked to her left, and then her right. Perilously close to her head was a large bee hive. "Ouch!" she yelped as she was stung by a bee. She quickly ran off from the insects, shaking her hand as if trying to make the sting go away. Poppy followed, shaking her head in feigned despair.  
  
When she judged they were far enough away from the 'danger zone,' Dandelion stopped. She was about to propose they make camp again, when she heard a noise. She strained her ears. It sounded like...  
  
'Water? Running water?' she thought. "The Brandywine!" Pushing through some hedges in her path, she beheld the sight of the large (to hobbits) river that marked the border of Buckland.  
  
"Goodness, we must have traveled a lot faster than I thought," said Poppy, coming up beside her.  
  
"See, I told you my plan would work. You need to trust me more, Poppy," said Dandelion smugly.  
  
"Please accept my dearest apologies, great Dandelion Took, descendent of heroes, expert pathfinder and teacher of children!" exclaimed Poppy, curtsying in mock reverence.  
  
"You are pardoned for the time being," answered Dandelion in the same grave speech, "but do not let it happen again. And remember that a Dandelion Took plan always works!"  
  
Poppy could not contain herself any longer and burst into laughter. Dandelion joined her as the Cotton girl gasped out, "Unless they weren't made in the past few hours!"  
  
* * *  
  
After dinner (and supper), Dandelion laid down, arms underneath her head, and sighed in contentment. "If only all days were like this," she said softly.  
  
"Like what? You getting into a fight with Fred Sandyman, resulting in us being expelled from Tuckborough, getting tangled in brambles, getting lost, and then sleeping by the side of a river?" Poppy smiled up at the stars.  
  
"You know what I mean. If all nights were as peaceful as this: the soothing sound of the water, the soft green grass, the pretty stars, the giant snakes..."  
  
"Snakes?!"  
  
Suddenly, Dandelion realized what she had seen and bolted upright. Poppy followed her. A giant snake, indeed, watched them, eyes glinting evilly in the firelight. "Oh Elbereth," Dandelion whispered as she walked backwards to her pack, eyes locked on the snake. When she reached it, she thrust her hand inside and grabbed the old blade her father had given her that had once belonged to his father. She unsheathed it and pointed at the snake. "Stay away! Leave us alone!"  
  
Poppy, beside her, pulled out a pocketknife from the folds of her skirt. It was a small weapon, but better than nothing.  
  
The snake hissed, its long tongue flickering in and out. It had thought it had found an easy meal, but the pair had bright, shiny cutters. It weighed its choices, and then lunged swiftly at the nearer of the two.  
  
Dandelion was ready, though, and she dodged and stabbed at the serpent as it passed by. It sprung at Poppy, but she too jumped aside. Dandelion grabbed its tail as it slithered around, and it turned to her, hissing maliciously. Unfortunately for the snake, it had turned its back to Poppy, and the young hobbit sent a vicious blow to its neck. It swayed, uncertain, for just the time Dandelion needed. Yelling angrily, she sliced its head straight off with her sword. The snake's body fell to the ground, and Dandelion sank to her knees, shivering in fear.  
  
"Dandelion! Are you all right?" Poppy cried as she dashed over to her friend.  
  
"I- I- oh, Poppy, I killed it!"  
  
  
"Yes, but you had to, you know, or it would have killed you and me as well." Dandelion shivered again as Poppy pulled her upright, away from the body of her foe. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up. And me, too," she added, glancing at the reptile's blood on her hands and knife. She picked up Dandelion's sword from where the other had dropped it.  
  
Dandelion, meanwhile, stumbled to the bank of the Brandywine and dipped her hands in it, washing off the evidence from her battle. When her hands were clean, she washed her face. Poppy handed her a towel and a change of clothes to replace her torn and dirty ones. When they had both finished changing, Dandelion packed up her things and put out the fire. "Let's find a new campsite."  
  
Poppy nodded wordlessly as they left the small clearing for one in which there had been no recent conflict. 


	3. Where's the Ferry?

Disclaimer- Let me check- Nope, LOTR is not mine, but the story and any characters in it that Tolkien did not mention are.  
  
A/N- Thanks again GreyLadyBast for your encouraging review(s!) and cheerleader15, I'm glad you like it! Please enjoy this next installment.  
  
Chapter 3- "Where's the Ferry?"  
  
Dandelion tossed and turned. What had happened was fresh and troubling to her mind, so the result was she could not sleep. She finally sat up and looked at her friend. Poppy was sleeping, peacefully oblivious to the worries of her friend. Not that Dandelion could blame her; they had walked very far, and experienced a lot of problems before they could sleep. And yet...  
  
Dandelion sighed and made her way to the banks of the Brandywine. She peered into its water. Silvery flashes told of the fish in its depths, but she was- oddly enough for a hobbit- not hungry. Cupping her hands, she immersed them in the cool liquid. She scooped some water into her hands and lifted them to her face, drinking deeply. When she had quenched her thirst, she glanced briefly at the other side of the river and turned to go back to her bedroll. Suddenly, her body froze and she looked back to the other edge of the river. There sat a creature that was definitely not a hobbit, and although he was tall enough to be one, he wasn't a Big Person either. He was an elf.  
  
Dandelion gawked at him, her eyes almost as large as saucers. She had heard tales of elves, of course, from her parents, both of her grandfathers, and Mr. Meriadoc (among others) when she was very young, but she had never met or much less seen one.  
  
The elf, on the other hand, seemed perfectly at ease. He waved and smiled, his silvery hair shining in the moonlight. She waved back, feeling awkward and very much like a 'foolish Took.' His smile broadened, and he whispered words in his own tongue, his voice barely carrying over the water. "Kaima, perian."* Dandelion did not remember what happened next until morning.  
  
* * *  
  
The smell of freshly cooked sausage greeted Dandelion when she woke. She sniffed appreciatively as she sat up, blinking sleepily. Poppy smiled at her. "Feeling better, sleepy-head?"  
  
"Mmm, much," answered Dandelion, grabbing for something to put her breakfast on. "Is it done?"  
  
"Nearly," Poppy answered, looking critically at the food she was frying. "I waited a while for you to wake, but when you showed no intention of doing so, I decided to cook first breakfast quickly so we could get an early start."  
  
Dandelion shifted uncomfortably. "Next time, Poppy, you should wake me up yourself. I'll cook the next meal by myself to make up for it."  
  
"You don't have to," Poppy began, but Dandelion cut her off.  
  
"No, we split things equally or I'll feel like a useless lump." They laughed.  
  
"Have it your way, but this meal's done cooking." Poppy tipped the pan, sliding half of its contents onto Dandelion's plate.  
  
"Oooh! Mushrooms! Where'd you find some so early in the morning?"  
  
Poppy laughed again at her friend's excitement. "I didn't. I packed them before we left."  
  
"And you didn't tell me? Shame on you, Poppy Cotton!" exclaimed Dandelion as she ate the delicious spread.  
  
While they dined, Dandelion happened to glance at the other side of the river. She chewed a mushroom thoughtfully, trying to think of what it reminded her of. "Oh, yeah!"  
  
"Huh? What are you talking about, Dandy?" asked Poppy when her friend did not elaborate.  
  
"I just remembered a dream I had last night. I walked to the Brandywine and drank some water, then I looked at the other end and I saw an elf!"  
  
"Really?" inquired Poppy with interest.  
  
"Aye, at least in the dream. He said something, hmm, I think 'twas 'kay muh peran.' Maybe it wasn't a dream, it seemed so real. If it wasn't, though, then I don't really know what happened next. I think I must have gone straight back to my bedroll and fallen asleep, but I don't remember doing it," the Took mused.  
  
"Oh, Dandelion, if you actually saw an elf- I mean- they've all practically sailed west! That's amazing! If it wasn't a dream."  
  
"Yeah," said Dandelion thoughtfully, looking again at the opposite bank. "If it wasn't a dream."  
  
* * *  
  
After breakfast (and Dandelion asking why they couldn't have second breakfast while they were at it), they packed up all of their belongings and started walking north. For, while they had reached the Brandywine very quickly, they were several miles south of Bucklebury Ferry, and even farther away from the Brandywine Bridge. This trip was mostly uneventful, until they reached the Ferry. Or at least where it was supposed to be.  
  
"Where's the Ferry?" asked Poppy as she came up beside Dandelion, who was staring over the water.  
  
"Over there," she said, pointing. Sure enough, the Ferry was on the other bank, tied to a pole so it would not float away.  
  
"Oh, this a fine how-do-you-do. What use is a Ferry if it's on the wrong side?" exclaimed Poppy in annoyance. "Now we'll have to walk twenty miles more to the Bridge!"  
  
Dandelion's face took on a look of horror. "We'll miss tea!"  
  
A deep laugh interrupted their talk. A stout hobbit appeared on the other side of the River. "Well, now, we can't have two such lovely lasses as yourselves missing tea at Brandy Hall, can we?"  
  
"Cousin Tunneler!" squealed Dandelion, a smile replacing her horrified look. "What are you doing in Buckland?"  
  
"Can't an old hobbit visit his relations without being quizzed by every hobbit lass in the Shire?" complained Turner 'Tunneler' Boffin, but his eyes twinkled. "An' I'm not your cousin, Dandy Took!"  
  
Dandelion waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "You're some kind of cousin, since you're related to the Brandybucks and I am, too, but Papa knows more about the family trees than I do. Cousin Tunneler," she said as an afterthought.  
  
"Still as cheeky as ever, young Dandy," the older hobbit replied. "But I don't believe I've met your friend?"  
  
Poppy curtsied. "I'm Poppy Cotton, Mr. Boffin."  
  
"Ah, call me Cousin Tunneler. Everyone does, even your less polite friend grinning madly over there."  
  
Dandelion, who was 'grinning madly,' called over to the other bank, "You said we weren't going to miss tea, Cousin Tunneler. If so, you'd better get a move on with that Ferry."  
  
"You'd work a poor hobbit to the bone, lass, if you could. I have half a mind to leave you over there 'til supper's done."  
  
"Oh, dearest cousin, you couldn't starve fair lasses like us! Could you?" asked Dandelion, sighing mournfully.  
  
"Get on with you now, Dandy, of course not! Far too kind-hearted to you, is what I am," grumbled Cousin Tunneler as he stepped onto the Ferry and slowly poled his way across the Brandywine.  
  
"Hurry up, Cousin, or the fifth age will be upon us!"  
  
"See how that slave-driver treats me, young Poppy? What have I ever done to get such a cruel, cruel lass for a cousin of sorts?"  
  
"Stop bothering him, Dandelion! We can always leave her on this side until after supper, Cousin Tunneler," Poppy suggested, winking at the hobbit who had nearly reached their side.  
  
"Now there's a good idea, young Poppy. More tea for us, eh?"  
  
"That's a nice way to treat me, Poppy, after I've saved you from snakes, thorns, and that Sandyman!"  
  
Cousin Tunneler reached the shore and looked at them curiously. "'Snakes, thorns and that Sandyman'? I can see you've had yourselves a bit of an adventure just gettin' here. But no time for talk now," he added as they boarded the Ferry, "not if you want tea!"  
  
"Yes, we most certainly do!"  
  
* * *  
2nd A/N- Will Dandelion and Poppy ever make it to Buckland? Maybe. ;) Oh, by the way, the Elvish translates to roughly "Sleep, halfling" in English. Also by the way, if anyone knows a site with a lot of Elvish words and meanings, I'd be really grateful if you could post it in a review. And please, as always, read and review! Thanks! 


	4. Of Memories and Cousins

Disclaimer- I still don't own LOTR, but I do claim this story and any characters in it that Tolkien did not mention.  
  
A/N- (winces) I'm so sorry I haven't posted in forever (okay, only about a week), but school's been infringing on my time. Plus, I had the worst problem creating names for the new characters in this chapter. I'll try to write chapters more frequently, but like I said, school's a big factor there, so if it doesn't seem I've posted in a while, that's why. Thank you's are at the end.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Now, well, if I'm not forgetting somethin' then I don't live in the Shire!"  
  
"What?" asked Poppy and Dandelion, both looking confused at Cousin Tunneler's last statement.  
  
"Oh, pardon old Tunneler, lasses, he's got a lot on his mind. But like I was saying, if I'd a used my head I would've known who you were, Miss Poppy. The Thain's sent a letter up to the Master o' Brandy Hall about your visit."  
  
Poppy's face showed relief but also a little worry. "Did he say if he wrote a letter to my parents, Cousin Tunneler?"  
  
Cousin Tunneler tapped his head knowingly. "Aye, the Thain's quite a smart hobbit. Said to tell you not to fear, because he talked to them personally an' they said it was all right with them. And Theo's been right excited about your stay, him an' his puppy."  
  
Dandelion smiled at the thought of her cousin. "So, he does actually have a puppy, then. I was afraid this visit would be for nothing, after all."  
  
"Why wouldn't he have a puppy, Dandy?" asked Poppy.  
  
At this, Cousin Tunneler roared with laughter and Dandelion's smile widened. "About five years ago, Theo sent a letter to the Smials asking if I could come see his new kitten. Well, you know how I like animals so I was anxious to go, even if it was winter. Papa didn't want me to at first, of course, because that was the year some hobbits said they had seen wolves around the borders. But I finally managed to get him to say yes, on the condition that Bergil went with me. He complained a lot on our trip, and when we finally did get to Brandy Hall, Theo's 'kitten' was a snow cat he had made when he saw us coming up the path!" Poppy's laughter joined Cousin Tunneler's as Dandelion continued. "Since then, my brother's refused to take me anywhere, and I rarely trust Theo when he says he's got something new, be it pet or toy or whatever else."  
  
Still chuckling a little, Cousin Tunneler added, "Well, he has got a puppy this time. My Tru's brought it to him."  
  
Dandelion's eyes grew larger and she stopped smiling. "Tru? Is he here?"  
  
She did not remember Truman Boffin with as much fondness as his father, Cousin Tunneler. When they had been much younger, Tru had picked on her, pulling her gold curls and calling her the 'straw-headed hobbit.' After one such incident had sent her home in tears, Faramir had comforted her and then told her to 'stand up for yourself and show him you're a Took!' When the time had come to use his advice, the result was in Tru getting a tooth knocked out and Dandelion losing a lock of hair. Their enmity had been so great that twenty years ago, when she was thirteen and he fourteen, the Boffins had moved to the Northfarthing.  
  
Apparently recalling the encounter, Cousin Tunneler laughed and said, "Don't worry, Dandy-lass. He's grown up as well as you have, an' I doubt if he'll pull out any more of your pretty hair!"  
  
By this time they had reached the shore, and Dandelion smiled wanly. "I hope not."  
  
"Now, young lasses, you'd best be off if you want to get your tea."  
  
"Wait about you, Cousin Tunneler?" queried Poppy in surprise.  
  
"Oh, I came to the Brandywine to fish! An' I don't mind missing my tea if I can have a nice trout for supper. Run along, and I'll see you at Brandy Hall."  
  
"Tea-time!" Dandelion shouted as she ran toward the home of the Brandybucks, Poppy laughing and waving back at Cousin Tunneler as she tried to catch up with her friend.  
  
* * *  
  
Theo Brandybuck leaned against a tree, pointedly ignoring the growls coming from his stomach. His eyes almost crossed and his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth in concentration, he stared at the puppy standing in front of him. "No, Scamp, sit. Sit, boy."  
  
Scamp cocked his head to one side, clearly not understanding a word his young master was saying. Theo sighed, and, as if on an unseen signal, Scamp sat. The hobbit blinked. "Good boy, Scamp!" He quickly sketched the puppy onto a notebook in his lap. While he focused on drawing the facial features of the pup, Scamp gave a low bark and dashed off into the underbrush.  
  
Sighing again and quickly gathering up his sketchbook and pencil, Theo chased after him. Scamp's bark and chase meant only one of two things: either there was an animal nearby or a hobbit. Why, just the other day the pup had scared old Miss Bolger, Theo's first cousin once removed, into nearly climbing up a tree. The hobbit quickened his pace and was extremely surprised when he nearly tripped over the puppy, who was standing in the pointer position, nose and head thrust forward and one paw raised. Puzzled at the sudden halt, Theo looked in the direction Scamp was pointing. He pushed aside a leafy branch and saw one of the last things he would have expected to see: Dandelion Took, one of his favorite cousins, and her friend, Poppy something- Cotton, he thought.  
  
A grin appeared on the young hobbit's face as he noticed the direction they were going. Nearby was a fork in the path, and he knew that Dandelion would not know which way to go. They had walked this trail together many times before, and she had always wanted to take the right fork. "I don't know why, cousin," she had said, laughing at herself, "but the right fork always seems safer, somehow, to me." In truth, this path led to the Hedge, and after that the Old Forest, while the left went to Brandy Hall. Theo picked up Scamp, told him, "Shhh," quietly, and picked his way carefully through the thick undergrowth. He followed his cousin and her friend to the fork in the path, listening to their conversation. It made very little sense to him.  
  
"Hurry, Poppy, we'll miss tea!"  
  
"Tea this, tea that. Is that all you ever think about? We can't get to the Ferry, you say we'll miss tea. We're on the Ferry, you still say we'll miss tea. We run through Buckland, and all you can say is we'll miss tea!"  
  
"See? It's like I told Cousin Tunneler: I save you from snakes, thorns, and Fred Sandyman, and all you can do is complain because I am looking forward to the first decent meal I've had since--"  
  
"Yesterday?"  
  
By this time, they had reached the fork in the path. Dandelion stopped short, and looked thoughtfully down one trail, and then the other. "Which way?" asked Poppy.  
  
"Um..."  
  
"Don't tell me. We're now lost in Buckland!"  
  
"I think," said Dandelion, disregarding her friend's comment, "that it's the right fork."  
  
At this, Theo snorted and covered his mouth with one hand, trying desperately not to laugh.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"What was what?"  
  
"I heard something, from the trees. Didn't you hear it?"  
  
"No, I was trying to remember which path is which. Do you think it could be some kind of animal?"  
  
Poppy's face grew worried and her voice lowered. "Do you think it could be another one of those snakes?"  
  
Dandelion slipped her pack off her back and felt around in it for her sword. "We'll just have to--"  
  
But what they had to do she never said, for at that moment a puppy jumped out from the foliage and landed on her stomach. She dropped her pack and sat down with a whoosh of air. Before either of the hobbit lasses could move, a hobbit lad ran out of the trees. "Scamp!"  
  
"Theo?" was all Dandelion could think to say.  
  
As he picked up the puppy, Theo grinned at their astonished faces. "Hey, Dandelion. What're you doing in Buckland?"  
  
"Looking for Brandy Hall," Dandelion replied. "what else? Oh, by the way, this is Poppy Cotton," she added, gesturing to the other, who was looking at them in confusion.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Miss Cotton. I'm Theoden Brandybuck, but you can call me Theo," said he politely.  
  
"Call me Poppy."  
  
"All right." He turned to Dandelion, shaking his head in mock disbelief. "Lost again, O Cousin? I pity the students of Tuckborough."  
  
Glaring at him, Dandelion shook her curls and stuck her nose in the air. "I'll have you know, the students of Tuckborough receive an excellent education, unlike the children of Buckland who attack innocent travelers with vicious dogs."  
  
Theo smiled broadly and gave her a great hug. "It's good to see you too, Dandy."  
  
Dandelion hugged him back and then thought of something that seemed odd. "Theo, why aren't you in the Hall for tea? We haven't missed it, have we?"  
  
Theo blushed a little and hung his head. "No, it just started a while ago. It shouldn't be over yet."  
  
"Then why aren't you having any?" inquired Dandelion; her cousin wasn't prone to skipping meals.  
  
"Aren't you hungry?" asked Poppy.  
  
Theo mumbled something. "Wenttofarmermaggot'sandgotcaughtandnowcan'thaveanytea."  
  
"What?"  
  
Theo was definitely blushing now. "I visited Farmer Maggot's by way of the Ferry and I, uh, borrowed some of his vegetables. It wasn't a lot- just some mushrooms, carrots, cabbages, and maybe some other stuff- but when I got home Mum found out somehow and now I can't have any tea nor second breakfast for a month and I have to help Farmer Maggot plant his crops."  
  
Dandelion and Poppy looked at each other and burst into laughter.  
  
"It's not funny!" Theo exclaimed as he looked up, his face and pointed ears bright pink. "If you two are just going to sit here and chuckle at each other all day--"  
  
"No," Dandelion gasped out as she tried to halt her merriment, "No, Theo, just give us a second," more laughter, "and then take us to Brandy Hall."  
  
Theo indignantly turned his back on them and marched down the left fork. Poppy blanched at the thought of being lost again and, grabbing the still giggling Dandelion along with their things, hurried after him.  
  
By the time they had reached the outskirts of the small but dense clump of trees, they had nearly caught up to the hobbit lad. His pride had been dealt what he deemed a grievous blow, but his natural good humor had returned and he was chortling a bit at how silly he must have seemed to the two girls. He turned and smiled at them as they left the trees and pointed toward a large, low hill, now visible and seeming quite close. "Come on! If we hurry, I might get to sneak a bite while they're greeting you!" He turned back and ran toward the hill, Dandelion and Poppy close behind.  
  
* * *  
  
2nd A/N- You like? Loathe? Are indifferent to? Please tell me by posting a review. Thanks!  
  
Ruby Took- You don't know how grateful I am for that link! I'm glad you like the story, too. ;)  
  
cheerleader15- Thanks for your review (again)! Your enthusiasm really helps me get the energy to post more often. :D 


	5. The Rumor of Brandy Hall

Disclaimer- Guess what? I still don't own LOTR! (I do claim this story and any characters in it that Tolkien didn't mention.)  
  
A/N- Agghh. School was invented by Sauron. Or maybe Morgoth. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Oh, and expect weekly updates from now on. Sorry. :)  
  
Much thanks to Lisa, because the idea for the rumor was hers.  
  
* * *  
  
Chapter 5- The Rumor of Brandy Hall  
  
Many years ago, so far back in time it seemed almost myth in the memories of the hobbits, Gorhendad Oldbuck had crossed the Brandywine, settled Buckland, and changed his name to Brandybuck. Since then, the Brandybuck's large family had lived in the smial Gorhendad had excavated: Brandy Hall.  
  
The Hall was unimpressive at first sight, merely seeming to be a rather flat-topped large hill. In actuality, the hill was almost entirely hollow, leaving plenty of room for the intricate network of passages that made up the smial.  
  
Theo raced towards his home, pausing every now and again for Dandelion and Poppy to catch up. Scamp, whom Theo had stopped carrying, dashed among all three hobbits, barking excitedly. Dandelion and Poppy were still laughing about Theo's story, and even the youngest hobbit had to chuckle some. It was in this loud manner that they reached the door to Brandy Hall, which was flung open but blocked by a hobbit woman, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed.  
  
Dandelion smiled and greeted her relative. "Hello, Aunt June!"  
  
The woman's look softened. "Oh, Dandelion, it's only you. No offense meant, of course, I was just wondering what in the Shire Theo could be doing to stir up so much noise." June Brandybuck was a Proudfoot by birth (in fact, she was Sando's aunt as well), and as such had not been born into as loud a family as the Brandybucks. She encouraged her household to tone down the cacophony as much as possible, but since most of them didn't understand the word cacophony, there had been little change since her marriage to Eomer Brandybuck.  
  
Theo's face was the picture of innocence. "Mum, Dandelion and Poppy haven't missed tea, have they?"  
  
Regarding her offspring with suspicion, she answered, "No, they haven't, but you will, you rogue, until a month is over. Don't think I've forgotten your punishment as quick as that!"  
  
Theo sagged. "Oh."  
  
Shaking her head and biting her lip to prevent a smile, June turned back to her guests and gave Dandelion and then Poppy a gentle hug. "It's good to see you again, Dandy. And Poppy Cotton, I haven't seen you since you were Theo's age! My, but how you two have grown. Would you care to join us for tea?"  
  
Dandelion nodded vigorously. "Oh, yes, please, Aunt June!"  
  
June turned around so the younger hobbits wouldn't see the grin on her face at that comment. "Well, then, follow me!"  
  
She showed them through the labyrinthine passages to the dining room, one of the largest rooms in the Hall. It was now about half filled with eating hobbits, since many of them had finished their tea and gone to busy themselves elsewhere. As the four entered, followed by Scamp wagging his tail, heads turned in their direction and there were many shouts of greeting. Dandelion and Poppy nodded and waved to them as they made their way to the head table.  
  
Eomer Brandybuck rose from his chair to meet his guests. Tall, loud, and friendly to nearly everyone he met, he was a popular and well-respected hobbit and the Master of Buckland. "Well, well, Dandelion Took! And Poppy Cotton! We weren't expecting you for another day yet!"  
  
June raised an eyebrow at her husband. "Eomer, we're not in Gondor. There's no need to shout."  
  
Eomer laughed heartily. "Of course not, m'dear!" Suddenly seeming to notice his son beside the travelers, he added, "Now, Theo, what was your part in all this? You're supposed to be outside for your punishment, remember?"  
  
Theo looked down at his furry feet. "Yes, Father, I just wanted to, er, show Dandelion and Poppy round the Hall once they were done with their tea?"  
  
"Are you asking me or telling me, lad?"  
  
"Both?" Theo offered.  
  
Eomer laughed again. "All right, you can sit in with us until they're done. But if I catch you sneaking so much as a drop, you'll go two months without!"  
  
"Yes, Father," Theo answered happily.  
  
He led the two girls to a small table near a window, through which they could see the Hedge that marked the border. Dandelion and Poppy sat, but Theo rushed off to get some food for them. As he left, Dandelion shook her head. "We'll be lucky if we get half of what he gets, Poppy."  
  
"You think he'd disobey his father that quickly?"  
  
"Disobey? No. Bend the rules so that he finds a way he won't get in trouble? Yes. Uncle Eomer thinks he's funny when he does it and he won't punish Theo, but if Aunt June finds out he will get punished."  
  
Poppy giggled, then pointed outside. "What's that, Dandy?"  
  
The golden-haired hobbit looked to where she was pointing. "Oh, that's the Hedge. It blocks the way to the Old Forest." She leaned in as if she were about to divulge a great secret. "Y'know, the trees are alive in there."  
  
"Really? Isn't that the place where the Travelers met Tom Bombadil?"  
  
"Yes, it is."  
  
"Have you ever been in there?"  
  
"Once," said Dandelion proudly, "but you have to go around noon, when the trees are sleepy and won't try to attack you or something."  
  
Their conversation was interrupted by Theo coming back with a tray. On it, he had piled biscuits, crackers, and two pots of tea.  
  
"Theo!" exclaimed Dandelion. "We're hungry, but this is enough food for a dozen hobbits! Tea is supposed to be a light meal. Why in Middle-earth did you bring so much food?"  
  
"You mean you can't eat it all?" Theo asked in surprise, but he grinned as he said it. "Oh, well, I suppose you'll have leftovers, then, won't you?"  
  
Dandelion took some biscuits and poured herself a cup of tea, then looked at her cousin in reproach. "Theo, were you even listening to your father?"  
  
"Of course I was. 'But if I catch you sneaking so much as a drop, you'll go two months without! Hahahaha!'" Theo imitated his father's speech and laugh so well that the two girls could not help but laugh with him.  
  
"And what do you say about your plan to eat our leftovers now?"  
  
"Two things: one, I won't be 'sneaking,' I'll be eating them in plain view of whomever happens to look over at us. Two, I won't have a drop to drink, just meager crumbs to eat!"  
  
Poppy looked at Dandelion over their steaming cups. "Something tells me we're going to be the ones blamed for his escapades."  
  
Theo changed the subject in the slim chance that they would forget his idea. "So, what's been going on in the Tookland? Your father's letter said you had gotten into a squabble with someone, Dandy."  
  
"It was nothing important," Dandelion muttered, looking fixedly at her cup. Poppy snorted.  
  
"Oh, no, nothing important at all. Dandelion let that Fred Sandyman get under her skin, so she gave him a nice black eye for his troubles. Then the Thain finds out and the next thing I know, we're banished from the Great Smials!"  
  
Theo applauded. "Good for you, Dandelion! Someone needs to knock that blockhead down a peg or three."  
  
"Thanks, Theo," said Dandelion, winking at him.  
  
Poppy rolled her eyes. "Honestly, it's no wonder you two are such good friends. You both like to get in trouble so much--"  
  
"We don't like to get in trouble," Dandelion began.  
  
"Trouble likes to get us!" Theo finished.  
  
There was a short silence while the girls sipped their tea and Theo pretended he wasn't trying to take one of the biscuits. Dandelion relieved him of it and asked, "What's been going on in Buckland? Any interesting news to tell the hobbits in Tuckborough?"  
  
Theo's eyes lit up. "Oh, yes! I can't believe I didn't tell you already." His voice lowered to a whisper and he looked around to make sure no one was watching. Dandelion and Poppy exchanged glances; why was he acting so strange? "There's been a rumor that there have been elves in the Shire!"  
  
"Elves?" repeated the girls.  
  
Theo nodded. "Yes. Farmer Maggot told my father that he saw a tall person that wasn't a hobbit on the edge of the Old Forest, and Sunny Burrows claims she saw one dancing outside at night! And there have been some others, too."  
  
"Have you seen any, Theo?" asked Dandelion eagerly.  
  
"No. No one at Brandy Hall has seen one, and most people just think they're not telling the truth. I believe them, though." Theo saw the look the girls gave each other. "Why do you two keep looking at each other like you know something I don't?"  
  
Dandelion said excitedly, "When we were on our way here, just last night, I woke up to get a drink of water. We were camping beside the Brandywine, and I looked at the other side of the river and there was an elf there!"  
  
Theo looked astounded, even despite his statement that he thought the talk of elves was true. "Wh-what?"  
  
"Aye, I saw it with my own two eyes. I thought it was a dream, but I'd bet it wasn't!"  
  
Theo didn't know what to say to that, but luckily for him, there was no need. A hobbit around the girls' age walked over to their table. "Dandelion Took. Is that you? The last time I saw you, we were shouting at each other and arguing loud enough for the whole Shire to hear!"  
  
Dandelion furrowed her brow in confusion. She felt sure she had never seen this boy before, but he looked somewhat familiar: deep brown curls, laughing hazel eyes, a small scar on his cheek from where they had gotten into a fight..."Tru?!"  
  
He laughed. "Yep, it's me. I'm not surprised you didn't recognize me at first. I didn't realize who you were until I heard Mrs. June talking about you." He pulled up a chair to the table, turned it around and sat in it backwards. Dandelion was still looking at him like he was a ghost. "What's the matter? You aren't still mad at me for teasing you, are you?"  
  
Dandelion shook her head and smiled back. "No, it's just- you look so different from the annoying boy who used to bother me at the Great Smials."  
  
"Well, you look a lot different from the little girl who used to knock out my teeth. And you must be Poppy," Tru added, turning to her. "I'm Truman Boffin, but you can call me Tru."  
  
"Oh, the infamous Tru. Dandelion was telling me about you."  
  
"Good things, I hope."  
  
Poppy laughed. "Unfortunately, no. More along the lines of 'Tru was the most aggravating nuisance in all of Middle-earth! He'd better have grown up or I won't stay a day at Brandy Hall, and I don't care what Father says!'"  
  
Dandelion blushed. "I can see my worries were misplaced, though, since you seem to have acquired better manners in twenty years, Tru."  
  
Tru chuckled. "So have you, but I hear you still know your way around a fist fight, if what people are saying is true."  
  
"What are they saying?"  
  
"That Fred Sandyman was pestering the school and you knocked him out with a single punch."  
  
Dandelion groaned and leaned her head on her hand as Poppy said, "Not quite. Sandyman was disturbing the school and spreading lies to the children, so Dandy just gave him one hit. Then the Thain came and told him off."  
  
"She gave him a black eye, though!" Theo piped up.  
  
"I'm sure he deserved it," said Tru, shaking his head and pouring himself a cup of tea. "Those Sandymans are the worst type of hobbit."  
  
"I'm not sure he is a hobbit." Dandelion looked up, a mischievous twinkle in her green eyes. "A half-orc, maybe. Or part troll."  
  
They laughed. "They certainly look the part," Poppy added.  
  
"See, Dandelion? What you did was for the greater good of all the free peoples of Middle-earth!" announced Theo importantly. "You should be awarded a medal!"  
  
"Hear, hear!" cried Poppy and Tru.  
  
"A badge of honor!"  
  
"Too right!"  
  
"A commendation from King Elessar himself!"  
  
Poppy and Tru clinked their cups together as they cheered.  
  
"You three are incorrigible!" Dandelion giggled as hobbits looked over at their table to see what all the shouting was about. All four of the hobbits were laughing now. Out of the corner of her eye, Dandelion caught sight of Tru. He's not as bad as I remembered, she thought. Not bad at all.  
  
* * *  
  
What did you think? Please let me know in a review! Thanks!  
  
acorngirl- Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you liked it. P.S.- Please get the new chapter of "Hostile Takeover" up soon! No, not just because you're going to mention my story, but because it's really great! Anyone who hasn't read it- should.  
  
cheerleader15- (blushes) You think my story is 'one in a million'? You're too kind! 


	6. A Story in the Garden

Disclaimer- I think- I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure- that I don't own LOTR. I claim this story and the characters in it that Tolkien did not mention.  
  
A/N- Ah, the joy (not!) of midterms is nearly upon us- well, me- but I won't forget about this story! I promise!  
  
Chapter 6- A Story in the Garden  
  
After Dandelion, Poppy, and Tru were finished with their tea (and after numerous foiled attempts by Theo to take some of their food), the young Brandybuck was convinced to show them around Brandy Hall, as he had said he would. Dandelion had been there many times before, of course, and Tru had been staying there with his father for a few days, but Poppy had never visited the smial. Besides, there were always 'secret' tunnels and passages that only a resident of the Hall- in this case, Theo- would know about.  
  
"If you go straight down this passage," he explained as they came to a place where several corridors met, "you can get to the kitchens. But if you go left, you'll come to one of the front doors."  
  
"And if you go right?" asked Poppy, who was enjoying the 'tour'.  
  
"That's where the bedrooms and guest rooms are. Though there are other places you can get to from there, as well."  
  
"Like where?"  
  
Theo's brown eyes sparkled in a way that reminded Poppy strongly of Dandelion. "Nowhere important, really," he said in a casual tone, "just some nice gardens and a pretty fountain that--"  
  
"Oh, gardens!" exclaimed Poppy with excitement. "Let's go see!"  
  
"I wasn't done, y'know," Theo grumbled as the two girls sped down the hallway, followed by Tru with Theo and Scamp last.  
  
When the two girls reached another intersection, they paused, unsure of the way. As Tru and Theo came to it, the latter shook his head. "This is becoming a regular occurrence, Dandy. You getting lost yet again..."  
  
"Oh, be quiet and show us the way to go."  
  
"Well, since you asked so nicely," Theo replied, still a bit miffed since he had been interrupted before. He trotted quickly down the left passage, with the others following. He counted the doors on the right-hand side. "...five, six, seven, ah, here we are." He pushed open the round door and a golden light met the eyes of the hobbits. They instinctively shielded them, unused to such brightness in the halls of the smial. When their eyes had adjusted, they looked in wonder at the beauty of the garden.  
  
Flowers in a myriad of colors nodded in the slight breeze. Rich green grass was everywhere, and it felt soothing to the hobbits' bare feet. A path built of large flat stones sloped down from the open door to a pond. Water leapt into the air from the pond; whenever one jet fell another would go up, from the exact spot the first had stopped. A small tree next to the pond waved its leaves gently. A slender white gate ran around the boundaries of the garden; beyond it could be seen some fields of corn.  
  
"Ohhhh," cried both of the girls, enchanted. Tru looked about in open-mouthed astonishment. Theo beamed proudly. He had discovered the garden a few years before, when he had gotten in trouble and had been sentenced to helping the gardeners of Brandy Hall. It was more of a reward than a punishment, though, since Theo had found out many interesting things about gardening. But the best part was when he had followed Hank, the head gardener, out into this very garden. It had become a favorite place of his and, since it was known only to few hobbits, one of his private spots to rest.  
  
"This is beautiful, Theo," said Dandelion, looking around. "Why have you never shown it to me before?"  
  
"I only just found a couple of years ago, and most of the times you've been here since then were for Yule. I wanted you to see it when everything was green and alive." He shrugged sheepishly. "And, I sorta forgot." They laughed. Theo walked towards the pond. "Isn't this neat?" he asked, as a jet of water streamed up beside him and nearly hit him. He grinned impishly.  
  
"Yes, it is. But where did you get it? If that was made by a hobbit, then I'm a dwarf," Tru replied, grinning back.  
  
"No, indeed. Father said an elf gave it to his father, and that it was made by elves, too. I have no idea how it works, though. Probably some type of magic in it."  
  
"Oh, Theo! It was made by elves, not wizards."  
  
"Maybe. Maybe not." Dandelion replied to this by rolling her eyes in mock exasperation. Theo laughed again. "Anyway, I like to come here to rest, and daydream, and draw..."  
  
"And hide from your parents if you've gotten in trouble," interrupted Dandelion.  
  
Theo gave her a smug smile. "No, this is where they usually look first, so I've learned not to do that."  
  
"D'you like to draw, Theo?" asked Poppy.  
  
"Oh, yes. In fact, before you two came crashing through the underbrush, I was making a picture of Scamp." At his name, the pup, who had been uncharacteristically quiet since they had entered the garden, barked and jumped up excitedly. From out of his pocket Theo pulled a small sketchbook. He flipped through the pages filled with pictures and stopped at his latest one. The others crowded around. The picture was very well done and very lifelike.  
  
"That's good, Theo!"  
  
"Really? You think so?"  
  
"Oh, yes! Show us the others, please?"  
  
"They're not very good..."  
  
"Don't be shy- it's not like you."  
  
Theo sighed. "Fine." He turned to the front of the book and leafed through it slowly so the others could see it. When he was done, the older hobbits looked at him in awe. He fidgeted nervously under their stares. "What do you think?"  
  
"Wow, Theo, I never knew you could draw so well," Dandelion began.  
  
"You're so modest! These are excellent," Poppy commented.  
  
Tru looked through the book more slowly. "I agree with them, Theo, but why don't you have any pictures of people? Just animals and scenery, but no hobbits, or men, or dwarves, or even elves."  
  
At the last, Theo started nervously and stammered, "W-well, I've never seen any elves, of course, and I haven't really- I'm not very good at drawing people."  
  
"You're so silly, Theo," Dandelion replied as she and Poppy sat under the cool shade of the tree. "I'll bet you could draw people just fine."  
  
The young Brandybuck flopped down beside them and looked into the pool of water at his reflection. "Tell me a story, Dandy."  
  
"A story?" Dandelion rolled him on to his back and started tickling him. "What d'you mean, a story?"  
  
"Haha- oh, stoppit- haha! A story about the war and all. Haha!" Theo managed to spin out of his cousin's reach and he laughed triumphantly. "Please?"  
  
"All right, all right. Which one? I think you've nearly heard them all."  
  
"Just pick one. Surprise me."  
  
"Which war are you talking about? The War of the Ring? Do you know a lot about it?" Tru walked toward where the others were sitting, looking interested.  
  
"Yes, of course the War of the Ring, and I do know a good deal about it," Dandelion responded, looking up.  
  
"She saw the Red Book once!" Theo threw in.  
  
Tru's face revealed his surprise. "Really?! I've heard about that book. Mr. Eomer told me that the whole history of the War of the Ring is in it."  
  
Dandelion nodded proudly. "That's right. When I was very small, before your family removed to the Northfarthing, Tru, my grandfather Mayor Samwise showed me the Red Book. I don't very much remember what it looked like- it was obviously red, and it looked old but well taken care of. He read a little of it to me- it was the part about old Mr. Bilbo's Party, you know, the one he disappeared at. I'll tell you that story."  
  
The other three hobbits listened eagerly to the old tale, while the sun drifted lower in the sky.  
  
* * *  
  
"And so, he said, 'Thirdly and finally, I wish to make an ANNOUNCEMENT. I regret to announce that- though, as I said, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to spend among you- this is the END. I am going. I am leaving NOW. GOOD-BYE!' Then, he vanished in a burst of light and was never seen in the Shire again."*  
  
"Wow," said Tru, amazed. He was the only one of the four who had never heard the story (and most of what happened afterward) before.  
  
"He put on the Ring, didn't he?" asked Theo. "And Gandalf helped with his fireworks so folks wouldn't get suspicious."  
  
"Yes. I wish I had been able to meet them." Dandelion leaned against the tree and closed her eyes. "But they and Nine-Fingered Frodo sailed over Sea, into the West before even my father was born."  
  
"You'll have to tell me the whole story sometime, Dandelion. I haven't ever heard the whole thing, just bits and pieces of it," Tru told them. "I'd like to hear more."  
  
"Of course I'll tell you." Tru smiled gratefully at the Took, and she felt herself blush. "Maybe I can get my Aunt Elanor to show you the Red Book. Mayor Samwise gave it to her when he passed over Sea."  
  
"That would be terrific!" Tru suddenly saw how low the sky was, and leapt to his feet. "Oh, I must be off! I promised my father I'd come help him fish a few hours after tea, and it's been at least that." He turned to Theo. "Would you like to come?"  
  
"Sure!"  
  
They were about to leave when Poppy said, "What about us?"  
  
Theo wrinkled his nose. "You can't come. You're girls."  
  
Dandelion stood and put her hands on her hips. "So?"  
  
"Girls don't fish!"  
  
"Who says?"  
  
"Me!" said Theo laughing as he, Tru and Scamp ran back into the Hall.  
  
"Humph! Men- and boys!" Dandelion's parting shot was, unfortunately, not heard by the two.  
  
"Come on, Dandy. They might need help with supper." Poppy, accompanied by a fuming Dandelion, reentered the Hall.  
  
* * *  
  
The boys and puppy raced through Brandy Hall, causing many hobbits to stare at them curiously and almost running into others. They dashed out the door and down the lane to Bucklebury Ferry. "Ha! I win!" Theo crowed as he reached the water's edge, closely pursued by Tru and Scamp.  
  
"That was a close one," Cousin Tunneler remarked from his perch on the Ferry. He had observed them running headlong toward him, and now he chuckled. "Take a pole and some string, boys, an' see if you can catch a big fish to bring to the Hall for supper!"  
  
Theo and Tru followed his advice and sat down to wait. As is the way with teenaged hobbits, Theo quickly tired of this and wandered out to the edge of the Ferry, peering across the Brandywine at the opposite shore. "Be careful, Master Theo, you don't want to fall in," Cousin Tunneler called to him.  
  
"Yessir!" Theo replied. He leaned toward the water, marveling at how fast the silvery fish were.  
  
"Theo, I think you're--" Tru had no time to finish his warning as at that moment, Theo fell into the river with a loud cry.  
  
* * *  
  
*- Quoted from "The Fellowship of the Ring"- Chapter 1-A Long Expected Party.  
  
A/N Part II- Hey, you! Yeah, you! Reading this chapter! What did you think? Please tell me in a review! Thanks so much! ;)  
  
Anonymous petition person- Uh, good luck?  
  
GreyLadyBast- Glad you like it. Thanks for the compliment! (blushes)  
  
acorngirl- Sorry you were sick; I know how that's like. You liked the descriptions? I usually don't have many in a story, but I'm trying- unusually hard, mind you- to add more. As to where we're going- you'll just have to wait and see, won't you? ;) 


	7. Poor Theo

Disclaimer- Things I don't own: LOTR. Things I claim: This story and all characters in it that Tolkien did not mention.  
  
A/N- I'm really sorry that I couldn't get this chapter out before today, but between the new TTT trailer (yeah!), midterms (boo), my computer not working for a few days, and all the other things I had to do, I couldn't get it out any faster. Enjoy!  
  
This chapter is for Evan, because he's a Superstar.  
  
Chapter 7- Poor Theo  
  
Dandelion nearly threw a plate onto the table, all the while muttering angrily. "What does he mean, 'girls don't fish'? I taught Theo how to fish!"  
  
Poppy more sedately set down the utensils for the evening meal. The two were helping get the dining room ready for supper. She raised an eyebrow as she turned to face her friend. "Dandy, you're blowing this out of proportion. Theo didn't mean anything by it, not really. He's just at that awkward age in a young hobbit's life when he doesn't know how to still be friends with girls when all he wants to do is boy things with other boys."  
  
Dandelion sat on a chair, pushing her golden hair out of her face. "You're right, Poppy. It's just that Theo and I have been friends all of his life, and I guess I'm too used to him treating lads and lasses the same. He's just growing up."  
  
"Exactly," Poppy began, and then stopped and turned to one of the doors in the dining room that faced west toward the Brandywine.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I- I'm not sure. I thought I heard something, like someone yelling, almost." She turned away from the door. "Probably just the wind, or some little ones playing."  
  
* * *  
  
"Theo!!" Tru and Cousin Tunneler shouted. Almost without thinking, Tru grabbed one of the mooring lines of the Ferry and plunged into the water. It seemed icy-cold after the heat of the afternoon and he quickly surfaced, gasping for air. He submerged again and peered about in the darkness of the water for the other hobbit. He felt something hit his shoulder and he spun around, his breath coming out in an underwater shout. Then, he was pulled to the top of the water, finally able to see the other. It was Theo.  
  
"Theo!" Tru shouted in his face. The young Brandybuck was soaking and his curls were plastered to his forehead, but he seemed to be in no great discomfort. "How-what?"  
  
"What's wrong, Tru?" asked Theo uncertainly. The whole thing was no big deal to him, but Tru seemed shaken.  
  
"I thought you were- I mean, weren't you drowning? You fell in!" Tru said accusingly. He was beginning to feel rather foolish.  
  
"Yeah, sorry about that," Theo replied sheepishly. "Mum always says I should be more careful around the Ferry, but I--" He suddenly realized what Tru had first said. "'Drowning'? You thought I was drowning?" He laughed. "Silly hobbit, we Brandybucks live near a river! We know how to swim before our teens!"  
  
Tru suddenly realized that Theo was, indeed, swimming, and that he had been pulling the rope and Tru back to Bucklebury Ferry. "No, I didn't, er, know that." He laughed suddenly as well. "I'm glad you do, because I don't!"  
  
"Really? Could've fooled me, the way you jumped right in, nearly on my head. Thanks for 'saving' me," Theo replied, his eyes twinkling with mischief.  
  
Cousin Tunneler pulled them out of the water, smiling. He had been quite nervous when Theo had fallen in, been no less than astounded when he came back up again, and was now wholly relieved. "Aye, an' that's a lesson for you, Tru- never try and save someone who's drowning by jumpin' in after them! If Theo hadn't have known how to swim, what good would have you have done, m'boy?"  
  
Tru shrugged. "Eh, you're right, Pa." He shivered- the warm afternoon had turned cold in his wet clothes. Theo sneezed.  
  
The oldest hobbit looked at them in sudden concern. "You two best be getting off to the Hall so you don't catch a chill. Run along, I'll bring in the fish."  
  
"Yes, Pa," Tru replied as they raced away.  
  
Tunneler turned to his fishing pole and grabbed it as it suddenly jumped. He pulled in the line and chuckled at the sight of the large hooked fish. "Well, maybe hobbit lads should go leaping in the water every time I fish."  
  
* * *  
  
No sooner had Theo, Tru, and Scamp gotten inside one of the front doors of Brandy Hall than one of Theo's least liked cousins ran into them. "Well, well, what in the name of hobbits happened to you two?" sneered Thornton Burrows, called 'Thorn' by those who did not like him- which was quite a lot, considering the hobbit's tendency to bully those younger than him.  
  
Scamp growled. "We had an accident," said Theo shortly, not caring to explain.  
  
"I can see that," Thorn said, eyeing their general bedraggled appearance. "What did you do? Try an' fly off the Ferry?" He snickered.  
  
Theo's face reddened and he stepped towards Thorn, but Tru got between them. "It's none o' your business, Thorn-in-my-side."  
  
The red-haired hobbit narrowed his eyes and things might have gone ill had an older hobbit woman not come upon them at that moment. Her name was Holly Chubb, and at the sight of two soaking wet hobbits dripping on the wooden floors of the Hall, she screamed loudly. "What on Middle-earth have you done, Theoden Brandybuck?!"  
  
This had both the effect of making all three of the younger hobbits jump and causing many others to drop whatever they were doing and rush towards the entranceway, creating an enormous crowd of talking hobbits, all eager to learn what had been the reason of such an outburst.  
  
Even though they had been fairly far away, Dandelion and Poppy quickly arrived on the scene. Taking in the situation at a glance, Dandelion pushed her way through the throng, Poppy following closely. They each grabbed one of the boys' hands and made their way out and into a small hallway.  
  
Theo sneezed. "Thanks, Dandy and Poppy."  
  
The two girls looked them over, noticing how freshly damp their clothes and hair were. Poppy unknowingly repeated the question, "What happened to you two?"  
  
Tru explained the 'drowning' and his attempted rescue, wincing slightly as Theo sneezed again. Dandelion laughed. "I must agree with your father, Tru. Never try to jump in after someone if you can't swim yourself, and that goes double if they're a Brandybuck!"  
  
"Because Brandybucks- or most of us, anyway- can swim," Theo added.  
  
"Right. And now, I think it's best if you two get out of those drenched clothes. You might catch a chill." As they went down the hall and Theo sneezed again, she whispered to Poppy, "If he hasn't already."  
  
Since he knew the fastest way to their rooms, Theo led the other three through the twists and turns of Brandy Hall. Dandelion and Poppy were starting to grow concerned about him, since he had sneezed at least four times since they had left the drove of hobbits. And the walk had taken only a couple of minutes, Dandelion thought. She and Poppy exchanged glances as Theo stopped at a door.  
  
"There's your room, Tru," Theo said. "Mine is right down the hall."  
  
As the boys entered their respective doors, Poppy turned to her friend. "I think you're right, Dandy. Theo is definitely catching something."  
  
The golden-haired hobbit frowned as she looked at his door. "Theo has always been one to catch colds easily, and a dip in the cold waters of the Brandywine in early autumn is just what he doesn't need. I think I'd better tell his parents in case they want to get the healer or something. Poppy, will you stay here and tell them where I've gone?"  
  
"Of course. And I'll tell Tru about our guess."  
  
"Thanks. Oh, and don't let Theo go running around. Make him lie down. Sit on him if you have to."  
  
Poppy giggled as her friend raced off, not realizing this measure would be unnecessary.  
  
* * *  
  
Theo grabbed a freshly washed towel off of his dresser and rubbed his flushed face. He was feeling strangely sleepy, and for some reason this made him irritated. He knew he should change out of his wet clothes soon, but just the thought made him yawn. Instead, he sat down on the edge of his bed. Scamp, whom he hadn't noticed follow him in, curled up at his feet, looking at his master. Theo sneezed again. He stretched and lost his balance, falling onto his back on the bed. Seeing no reason why he should get back up, he closed his eyes and promptly fell asleep.  
  
* * *  
  
Dandelion turned a corner and collided with another hobbit, sending them both crashing to the floor. "Sorry, sir," she said, embarrassed, as she helped him up. It was only then that she noticed who she had run into. "Uncle Eomer!"  
  
Eomer brushed himself off. "What's all the hurry, Dandelion? And where has your friend and my rascal of a son gotten to? We were looking for you, because we heard the strangest commotion in the hall--"  
  
"Uncle Eomer!" Dandelion repeated, not caring that she had interrupted him. "Theo fell in the Brandywine- but he's okay," she added, as his face suddenly paled. "It's just, he and Tru- Truman Boffin- were fishing with Cousin Tunneler, and Theo fell in, then Tru jumped after him but Theo was swimming perfectly fine. When they came in, Mrs. Holly screamed at the sight of them," she omitted the incident with Thorn, seeing as how it wasn't important, "and that started your commotion, sir. Poppy and I got them out of the excitement, but Theo keeps sneezing and his face has become quite red. We thought he might have a cold or something, so we thought it best to tell you or Aunt June."  
  
Eomer's fear about his son drowning was alleviated, but at this news it reappeared, though slightly lessened. "Thank you, Dandelion," he said in a sudden businesslike manner. "Tell me where they've gone, and you run to get Mrs. Hazelwood." Mrs. Hazelwood was Brandy Hall's leading authority on illnesses and remedies. Dandelion told him where to find the others, and they set off in different directions.  
  
Eomer used all the shortcuts he had learned from being both a teen and a tween living at Brandy Hall- and a mischievous one, at that- to get to his son's room. He was often accused of being overprotective of his son, but the young hobbit had health that was routinely poor. So, Eomer told himself, he had a good reason.  
  
Meanwhile, Poppy paced her way between the two doors of the boys' rooms. Suddenly, a door opened and Tru stepped out in a new pair of clothes, drying his hair with a handtowel. "Tru! What's taking you two so long?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You and Theo have been in your rooms for at least fifteen minutes, and Theo still hasn't come out yet! And he won't answer me when I call him, but I can't go in there because he might be getting dressed."  
  
"Why are you so worried about Theo, Poppy? And where's Dandelion gone?"  
  
Poppy explained the girls' worry about the youngest hobbit, and that Dandelion had gone to look for the Master of the Hall or his wife. Tru looked blank as he took in this information. "I didn't even hardly notice that he sneezed a lot- I didn't think much of it. D'you really think he could be sick?"  
  
Poppy nodded unhappily. "Probably. From what Dandelion told me, Theo gets sick from colds and such often. I remember when he visited the Smials one winter, he was very little, and it was very cold, and he got a cold just by going outside for a short while."  
  
They both looked at the closed door of Theo's room. Tru knocked on it, calling, "Theo?" He turned to Poppy. "D'you think I should go check on him?"  
  
At this moment, Eomer came running down the corridor, panting heavily. "Mr. Eomer!" the two younger hobbits cried in surprise.  
  
"Is he in his room?" Without waiting for a reply, Eomer opened the door and went inside.  
  
Tru and Poppy looked at each other, then Tru looked around the corner of the door. He could see Theo lying on the bed, with Eomer above him, shaking his arm and saying his name. Theo stirred. "Not right now, Mum. Five more minutes." He rolled over and fell back asleep.  
  
"What's going on? What's he saying?" asked Poppy from Tru's side.'  
  
"I dunno. He looks like he's asleep, but he said something I couldn't hear very well. Mr. Eomer's trying to wake him up. He's still wearing his wet clothes, too."  
  
Poppy grew more alarmed. "If he's got a cold, he shouldn't be sleeping in those drenched clothes. He could get pneumonia!"  
  
Tru called quietly into the room. "Mr. Eomer? Poppy thinks you shouldn't leave him in his soaking wet clothes, sir, because he might catch something worse than a cold."  
  
Eomer nodded to him. "Thank you, Truman. Please shut the door and let Mrs. Hazelwood or June in when they come. But no one else."  
  
"Yessir." Tru complied with his wish and turned to the anxious Cotton beside him.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Mr. Eomer said to let only Mrs. Hazelwood or Mrs. June in when they come. I think he's going to try to get Theo out of his damp clothes, though."  
  
"Who's Mrs. Hazelwood?"  
  
"She's the healer at the Hall. I think he must have sent Dandelion to find her or Mrs. June."  
  
Poppy resumed her pacing. "Oh, I hope Dandy hurries."  
  
* * *  
  
Dandelion, for her part, was hurrying through the maze of Brandy Hall as fast as she could. Unfortunately, she had no idea where the healer might be. She had tried the dining hall, the entranceway (where a large crowd of hobbits still gathered), and many other places besides. The only place she could think of where she hadn't checked and the healer might be was the library, and it was to there that she now made her way.  
  
Once she reached it, she pushed the door and breathed in the dusty smell of most Shire libraries. The library had been a favorite place of hers and Dandelion would have liked to stay and look at some of the books there, but this was an urgent situation. She walked between the shelves of books, saying loudly, "Mrs. Hazelwood? Are you here?"  
  
The gray head of an old hobbit woman appeared around one of the bookshelves. "Yes? Who's calling?" She adjusted the glasses on her nose and peered at the hobbit lass before her. "Ah. Dandelion Took. What do you need?"  
  
"It's Theo, Mrs. Hazelwood. We think he might have come down with a cold or something. He's been sneezing a lot and- oh, he fell in the Brandywine, but--"  
  
Mrs. Hazelwood cut her off. "No time for explanations. Just take me to wherever he is. I don't want him to catch pneumonia or something worse from falling in that river while we're talking."  
  
For her age, Mrs. Hazelwood kept up with Dandelion's quick pace. It had been only half an hour since the boys had come back to the Hall, but it seemed like ages to Dandelion, and she worried that Theo might be worsening.  
  
When they reached the hall with the boys' rooms, it was to be greeted by the sight of Poppy, still pacing back and forth, and Tru, sitting on the floor and looking at the ceiling. As soon as Poppy and Tru saw them, he leapt to his feet as she ran towards them.  
  
"Where?" asked Mrs. Hazelwood. Poppy pointed, and she entered the room, closing the door behind her.  
  
"Any change?" asked Dandelion hopefully.  
  
Poppy shook her head. "Not that we know of."  
  
"When Mr. Eomer came he immediately went to see Theo. He was asleep and he hadn't changed his clothes. Mr. Eomer said not to let anyone but Mrs. Hazelwood and Mrs. June in," Tru explained.  
  
Dandelion sat on the floor, trying to catch her breath. She had been running for a long time under stressful conditions, and it was beginning to take its toll on her. "Oh, I do hope he'll be all right."  
  
* * *  
  
A/N (again)- Hopefully, the fact that this chapter was longer than the others made up for the fact that it's out late. And, unfortunately, it's going to take a while for the next chapter, too, because I'm going on vacation this week. The earliest it could come is Friday, but it'll probably be the weekend. As always, please review and tell me what you thought! :-)  
  
acorngirl- Dandelion doesn't remember them too much, but she will have some flashback-type things later. I'm glad you liked it.  
  
cheerleader15- Too many compliments! ;) It was no problem about the e-mail, I figured since I had posted it late few people would have seen it. If you want, I could e-mail you every time I update. I know how hard it is to keep track of all the stories on this site!  
  
GreyLadyBast- I've been tired lately, too, so don't feel bad. Any review is better than none! I hope you liked this chapter, as well. 


	8. Brullia and Complications of Relations

Disclaimer- I own half a pack of Extra chewing gum, a yo-yo, and a copy of "The Fellowship of the Ring" DVD, but I don't own LOTR. This story and any characters in it that Tolkien did not mention I do claim.  
  
A/N- I am incredibly sorry that I was unable to finish this chapter sooner, but I grossly underestimated how busy I would be after my vacation (which was very nice, thanks for asking :). I hope to finish the next chapter faster, but until then, enjoy (and review!) this installment.  
  
Note: Brullia is an invented disease. I have little or no medical training, so the medicines described here are purely fictitious and I would not recommend treating someone with them.  
  
Chapter 8- Brullia and Complications of Relations  
  
Eomer had changed Theo out of his wet clothes into a long nightshirt. The lad's forehead seemed quite hot, yet he kept shivering. His father, at a loss for what to do, had dressed him for a hot summer night but also gave him a large blanket. Theo had wrapped himself in it and then lay on the bed, saying nothing and moving only when he sneezed.  
  
So Mrs. Hazelwood found them: the father standing near the bed, a handkerchief in his hand, while the son was on the bed with a few more handkerchiefs next to him. She sat on the bed, pulling the drowsy Theo into a sitting position and feeling his forehead and cheeks. She noticed his flushed face and stopped up nose and shook her head, mentally reviewing an inventory of illnesses that she knew of- which was very large, seeing as she was the chief healer of Brandy Hall and had been such for more years than she cared to remember. "What are his symptoms? Has he coughed anything up, or had a cough for that matter?"  
  
"No." Eomer shook his head. "He's just been sneezing for a while until he goes to sleep, then he'll sneeze again and wake himself up. He kept shivering but he felt so hot I didn't want to put something too warm on him."  
  
The elderly hobbit woman sighed, but in more of an annoyed way than a distressed way. "Just as I suspected. Theoden does not have a cold, though he luckily does not have pneumonia either. He has brullia."  
  
"Brullia?" Eomer repeated, his eyes wide. "Is-is that bad?"  
  
"If by 'bad' you mean fatal," Eomer tensed, "no." He relaxed again. The healer smoothed one of his son's limp curls sympathetically. "If by 'bad' you mean annoying, but only rarely turns into something serious, yes. He needs a few days of bed rest, and he'll have to stay inside for at least a week. Plenty of liquids as well, and we'll have to keep him bundled up- you usually have to sweat brullia out. Furthermore, I have a few herbs that'll help his sneezing and the brullia itself." She rose from the bed and walked towards the door. "Cover him warmly and if he wakes, see if you can clear his nose a bit. I'll get my medicines. If he complains of a sore throat, send for some hot tea with honey- and plenty of it, mind- and let him drink as much as he wants. But nothing to eat!"  
  
"Thank you," Eomer called. He turned back to the young hobbit on the bed and began to add more covers to the blanket he already had.  
  
As Mrs. Hazelwood exited, she was greeted outside the door by three fearful hobbits and a burst of excited questioning.  
  
"Is Theo all right?"  
  
"Is he sick?"  
  
"Of course he's sick, Tru. What an absurd thing to ask. Didn't you see how red his face was?"  
  
"Will he be all right, if he's not all right now?"  
  
"Is it serious?"  
  
"Stop this pointless interrogation at once!" Mrs. Hazelwood practically roared. Dandelion, Poppy, and Tru stared at her in speechless silence. "Thank you. Theoden is not all right, yes he is sick, he will most likely be all right, and it's not very serious. He'll be in bed for at least a couple of days, and inside for around a week, but after that he should be fine. Now, I hope that's enough information because I have a lot to do." With that, she walked off before the younger hobbits could say anything more. They sighed in relief.  
  
"Well, that is certainly a load off my mind. I wonder what Theo has, though," Dandelion mused. "I mean, is it just a cold or what?"  
  
"Probably, or something close enough to it," replied Poppy. "Mrs. Hazelwood didn't seem very worried, so it can't be bad."  
  
"I'm glad it's not," Tru added. "I would have felt awful, because it was my idea that he go fishing with me and so my fault that Theo fell in. And it would have been my fault if he caught something like pneumonia." He stared at his furry feet remorsefully.  
  
"Tru, it wasn't your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault. It was an accident, and Theo will be all right," Dandelion said sincerely.  
  
Tru looked up from looking at his toes. His apologetic brown eyes met her earnest green ones. "Truly, Dandelion?"  
  
"Truly," Dandelion answered, but she blushed and turned instead to face Poppy, who was looking at them with a knowing (and almost smug) half smile. Before any of them could say anything to ease this somewhat awkward situation, Eomer opened the door and popped his head out.  
  
"Has Mrs. Hazelwood gone?" he asked, but saw his answer before they could reply. "Never mind. Can one of you get some hot tea with lots of honey sent here?"  
  
"I'll go," Tru offered quickly. Dandelion noticed that his ears had turned pink, much like her brother Bergil's did when that Spring Banks came to visit. She had no time to puzzle over this, however, as the Boffin boy ran down the hall as if wargs were nipping at his heels.  
  
"Is Theo awake, then, Mr. Eomer?" Poppy queried.  
  
He nodded. "Just woke up a minute ago, when there was a loud noise from out here." Eomer paused, but since the two girls didn't explain, he didn't ask, deciding he was probably better off not knowing. "He said his throat hurt, and Mrs. Hazelwood said to give him the tea if that happened."  
  
"Can we see him? Oh, please, Uncle, please!"  
  
"I don't know," Eomer hesitated. "He's not really half awake yet, and he doesn't need to get agitated..."  
  
"We wouldn't dream of agitating him, Uncle. We'll be quiet as elves," Dandelion interjected, lowering her voice and smiling innocently. Poppy followed her example.  
  
"Oh, all right, then. But only for a minute, and no longer!"  
  
"Thank you, Uncle Eomer," the Took whispered joyfully as she and Poppy entered the room.  
  
Eomer had built up the fire, correctly guessing this would help 'sweat brullia out' as the healer had said. There were so many covers on the bed that it was hard for the girls to tell there was a hobbit there too.  
  
The hobbit lasses drew near the bed cautiously, doing their best to remain 'quiet as elves.' Theo's eyes opened slowly. "Father?" he murmured tiredly.  
  
"No, Theo, it's us, Dandelion and Poppy."  
  
"Dandy?" Theo asked, looking confused. "Why you-" he sneezed, "here?"  
  
"We came to visit, remember?" Theo shook his head and his eyes closed again. "Go to sleep, Theo. You'll feel better later," Dandelion soothed.  
  
"Throat hurts," he whimpered.  
  
"I know. I'm sorry. Your father sent for some tea to help your throat. We'll wake you up when it gets here."  
  
"'Kay," Theo mumbled as he fell back into the comforting world of dreams.  
  
"He sounds so sick, Dandy," Poppy whispered, her voice full of concern. "Are you sure he'll be all right?"  
  
"That's what Mrs. Hazelwood said. And I'm inclined to believe her: you wouldn't know how many childhood illnesses she's helped Theo battle. He'll be okay," Dandelion said softly, half to the worried Poppy and half to herself. "He will be okay."  
  
* * *  
  
Tru's ears were still pink as he asked the chief cook for "Some hot tea, with a lot of honey for Master Eomer's son. He's sick." The hobbits who worked in Brandy Hall's kitchen were dismayed to learn of Theo's decline in health and pressed Tru for details. "I don't know how bad it is," he answered irritably. "Yes, Mrs. Hazelwood came, but she didn't tell me any specifics, only that he should be all right in a few days. Now where's that tea?"  
  
The hobbit lad could barely carry the enormous jug in one hand and the bottle of extra honey in the other. "Foolish cooks," he muttered. "How am I supposed to carry all of this halfway across the enormous smial?" He wasn't really annoyed by the cooks, however; he was more exasperated at himself. "You are a ninnyhammer, Truman Boffin," he informed himself quietly. "What in the name of the Shire were you thinking, acting all silly to Dandelion Took, of all hobbits?"  
  
'Because you like her,' part of his mind replied in a matter-of-fact fashion.  
  
'What?!' thought another part of his mind, seemingly appalled at the very idea. 'Dandelion Took? The girl who used to beat him up whenever he went to the Great Smials? Ridiculous!'  
  
"She did not always beat me up. Now leave me alone!" Theo told the idiotic voices. He blew a strand of hair out from in front of his eyes angrily, his mind dwelling on the surprising thought: did he really like Dandelion Took?  
  
* * *  
  
In either case, Tru was the last person on the mind of the hobbit lass in question. All of her thoughts were directed at her cousin lying weakly on the bed. He seemed now too tired to wake up even when he sneezed. She and Poppy sat on two chairs next to the bed; on the other side Eomer stood, all but hovering over the sleeping figure of his son.  
  
The sudden knock on the door, though they had been awaiting it anxiously, made all three jump. Eomer, as he was closest, strode to the door, opening it and taking the tea and honey from Tru's hands before the younger hobbit could do more than open his mouth. Crossing the dimly lit room, illuminated only by the crackling fire, Eomer placed the healing liquids on a table next to his son's bed. He tasted a bit of the tea to judge if it had enough honey; evidently it passed the test, for he gestured the girls to prop the ill hobbit into a sitting position while he poured some of the mixture into a glass. The sitting movement woke Theo up, and he sniffled slightly before asking, "Father?"  
  
"Right here, Theo," Eomer answered, all trace of his normal joviality gone from his voice. "Open your mouth, son." Theo did so obediently and Eomer placed the container to his lips. "Drink some, it'll help your throat."  
  
At first, the conscious part of Theo's mind was reluctant to follow his father's direction, remembering the many disagreeable medicines he had been force-fed over the years. Despite his apprehension, this new remedy tasted surprisingly good and it assuaged his aching throat. He drank the majority of the cup hastily, as if it would be found to be the wrong beaker and they would give him some nastier treatment instead. Suddenly, his nose tickled and Theo pushed his father's arm away and sneezed loudly into a handkerchief that was promptly handed him. "Thags," he said softly.  
  
"Do you want any more tea, Theo?" his father asked.  
  
"Not now," he answered, eyes closing again. He leaned back against the headboard of his bed and was soon sleeping again.  
  
Eomer put a hand to his son's forehead and bit his lip in worry. The lad seemed no cooler than before, yet hopefully the tea had helped his throat. "Dandelion, Poppy, Tru, I'd like for you to leave the room." At their protests, he added, "I don't know if brullia is contagious, and I don't want any of you to get sick as well."  
  
Dandelion could not help pointing out, "But if it is contagious, you'll catch it if you stay, Uncle."  
  
He glared at them sternly, letting them know under no circumstances was he going to leave or let them stay. "That's a risk I'm willing to take. Now, out!"  
  
There was no arguing with the Master of Buckland, as the three young hobbits saw when the door to Theo's room was shut in front of their noses. "Humph! I'm willing to catch brullia- I suppose that must be whatever Theo has- if I can stay in there!" Dandelion said, somewhat offended by being brushed off so easily.  
  
"Me, too."  
  
"Aye."  
  
There was a moment of silence. Dandelion chanced a quick look at Tru, only to find him doing the same thing. Her checks flamed and his ears reverted to their pink state as they both looked away.  
  
"I should, er, go help my father with his fish. Bye!" Tru sped off with his confusing thoughts once more quibbling with each other.  
  
Poppy opened her mouth to speak. "Don't say anything. Not a single word," the Took warned her.  
  
"Oh, I won't say anything." Poppy smiled. Dandelion glared and focused instead on Theo and his illness, instead of her conflicting thoughts about Tru.  
  
* * *  
  
Mrs. Hazelwood voiced her ideas aloud. "A tablespoon of sap mixed with a few drops of melted oak bark, add a sprinkle of that seasoning Mother always called a cure-all for throat and nose disorders, then stir quickly and add water. Oh, and better bring a few leaves of kingsfoil to put on the fire. Old Master Meriadoc said that was good for whatever ails you. That should be enough." Gathering the aforesaid ingredients and following the recipe she had recalled from her mother's instruction on illnesses and remedies, the healer exited the storeroom of her medicines. She walked back to where her patient slept and his father watched him nervously, while outside the room one girl observed another debating with herself over a boy who tried to assemble his jumbled thoughts into some kind of order.  
  
* * *  
  
A/N Part 2- Before you ask- no, Tru is not schizophrenic, he just has two very different feelings toward Dandelion. I forgot to mention the last time I posted a chapter that if anyone, not just cheerleader15, would like an e-mail when I update, just put it in a review and I'll be glad to do so. Also, I've managed to write and post a short vignette called 'Wishes' that I think is complete and I'm starting a short series called 'Concealing of a Conspiracy' whose first chapter was posted a couple of days ago, in case any of you are interested. 'Wishes' takes place during "The Two Towers" and 'Concealing' is pre-"Fellowship". Enough of selling my own stories, on to thank-yous!  
  
cheerleader15- Eep! More compliments! [Dodges 'inflated ego arrows'] Seriously, I'm glad and somewhat surprised you like it so much. An e-mail? Your wish is my command!  
  
GreyLadyBast- I adore hobbits, too. Elves may be 'the wisest and fairest of all beings,' but hobbits are much more fun! I'm grateful you think so much of my work.  
  
acorngirl- Thanks for the compliments! And don't worry about things taking a long time- [snorts] I'm the queen of that! Yeah, a little bit of angst- now I feel mean to poor Theo! Thanks for the plug on the last chapter of 'Hostile Takeover'; I can't remember if I said that in my review. Thanks again, anyway! 


	9. Of Recoveries and Surprises

Disclaimer- LOTR is not mine. This story and all characters Tolkien didn't mention are mine.  
  
A/N- Hello again! I know, I know, my posting has been- shall we say sporadic? I never know exactly when I will find a chapter is finished, I try to be quick but also make it a good story. Oh, and if any of you were wondering- this is NOT going to become solely a romance story. Romance is not even going to be one of the main themes. There will be some romance, but not a lot (and certainly nothing above PG). On that note, please enjoy the chapter.  
  
Chapter 9- Of Recoveries and Surprises  
  
'Ninnyhammer, ninnyhammer,' Tru thought again as he walked back through the dark copse. He had not been much surprised to find his father leaning against a tree by the Brandywine, still holding his fishing rod and snoring loudly. It had taken a while of Tru alternately shaking and calling his father's name before the young hobbit lost his already strained temper. "WAKE UP!"  
  
"Huh-what? Tru? No need to shout, m'boy, I'm wide awake. What's your trouble?"  
  
Tru told him about Theo's illness, and, as with the cooks, Cousin Tunneler had been alarmed. After gathering the bucket of fish and his rod, the older hobbit ran toward Brandy Hall at a fair clip. "Slow down, Pa," Tru panted. "The healer said brullia wasn't that bad of a disease."  
  
"Brullia?" said Cousin Tunneler, stopping abruptly and causing Tru to nearly crash into him. "Look out there, lad. Did you say young Master Theo has brullia?"  
  
"Aye."  
  
"Well, why didn't you say so in the first place? Here I thought the boy was mortal sick, and all he's got is brullia."  
  
Tru's eyes widened in astonishment. "You've heard of it before?"  
  
"I should say so. You probably don't remember it, but once half of the young hobbits in the Great Smials had it- and all at the same time! You had it, so did Dandelion Took- you remember her, don't you?"  
  
Tru was glad in the partial dark his father could not see his unusually pink ears. "Yeah."  
  
"She's here, y'know." Half-chuckling, Tunneler turned to his son. "Now, I don't want the pair of you fighting like cats an' dogs, got me?"  
  
"Of course not, Pa- we're not teenagers anymore."  
  
Now Cousin Tunneler was leading the way out of the trees, and still Tru repeated to himself, 'Ninnyhammer, ninnyhammer.'  
  
'See,' said that voice from before. 'I told you that you liked her.'  
  
"Oh, shut up," Tru growled in response.  
  
"What was that you said, Tru?"  
  
"Nothing, Pa, nothing."  
  
Upon reaching the hall, Cousin Tunneler disappeared to the kitchens with his fish. Tru wandered aimlessly for a while, half hoping to run into Dandelion and the other half desperately wishing not to. He decided to see if he could find out if Theo's health had improved and ambled through the complex hallways of the smial until he reached the passage with Theo's room. Had he been looking where he was going, his ears would have changed their color, but as it was he did not see the hobbit lasses peeping into the door of the younger hobbit's room until he ran into them.  
  
Dandelion turned, the sharp remark on the tip of her tongue quickly swallowed as she realized who it was. "Oh! Tru! Where-what are you doing here?"  
  
His ears making up for their delay in color change tenfold, Tru replied, "I was just, er, seeing if Theo was any better."  
  
Noticing that Dandelion was too flustered to say anything, Poppy answered, "Mrs. Hazelwood just got back with some medicines for him. She took some leaves out of her bag and put them on the fire. They smell really nice, sort of foreign and familiar all at the same time. That's why we were looking in, to see if we could figure out what they are." A low bark from their feet made the three look down. "Oh, yes, she made Scamp leave the room. 'It's not good for animals to be around children when they're sick,' she said."  
  
"Come here, boy," Theo said, relieved to have found a distraction from his confusing thoughts. The puppy obediently walked to the young hobbit who had been his owner and Tru picked him up. "I'll take care of Scamp while Theo can't, if that's all right," he offered.  
  
"I'm sure that will be fine," replied Poppy. Dandelion nodded wordlessly.  
  
"I'll- be in my room." Tru turned on his heel, walked down the hall to his room, and entered, shutting the door behind him.  
  
"That went well," said Poppy as she looked sideways at Dandelion, now blushing furiously. "You actually managed to talk to him."  
  
* * *  
  
And for a few days, that was how it went: Dandelion and Poppy constantly checking up on Theo, who grew progressively healthier, while Tru tried to avoid Dandelion altogether. On the few occasions they did meet- usually when Tru checked on the youngest hobbit- both would stare at each awkwardly, then mumble a greeting and hurry on to a newly remembered task. Poppy coaxed Dandelion to do more than just say 'hi' to Tru, but the young Took felt that was the limit of her vocabulary whenever the boy was around. As to Tru, his thoughts were still an enormous mess and he did his best to ignore them. The most relieving thing that was happening was Theo's steady recovery.  
  
"Ugh, more soup?" the lad whined pitifully. Eomer nodded regretfully.  
  
"Sorry, son. Mrs. Hazelwood's orders. It's mushroom soup," he added, as if that would make up for the fact that so far, soup- and bowls of it- was all the patient could have.  
  
"When I get healthy again, I'm never, never eating soup. For the rest of my life."  
  
"We'll see about that," Dandelion said as she walked into the room, followed by Poppy. Both smiled at the sight of the Brandybuck's scowl, glad he was finally awake and feeling well enough to do so.  
  
"Father, can't I get out of bed? I don't even have a fever."  
  
"No."  
  
"Please?" Theo spoke pleadingly.  
  
"Now, Theo, you heard Mrs. Hazelwood. No getting out of bed for at least--"  
  
"A week. I know. But I don't feel bad at all, Father, really."  
  
Eomer sighed and turned to Dandelion, his son's favorite cousin. "Dandy-lass, can you get some sense into him?"  
  
"Oh, Theo." Dandelion sat on the bed next to where he sat, propped up by pillows. She ruffled his curls fondly. "There's nothing we'd like more than for you to be able to get up, but we'd rather you be in bed against your will for a while than you getting sick again. Surely you can see that, my silly cousin?"  
  
Blowing a piece of hair out of his eyes, Theo leaned back in resignation. "All right, fine. But no more than a week!"  
  
Dandelion winked at Poppy. "Of course. One week from tomorrow, you can be out of bed."  
  
"What?!"  
  
* * *  
  
Barely two miles from the joking hobbits, a dark figure, easily twice the size of any of the hobbits, sped on a fast horse toward Buckland. A cold wind suddenly slapped his face, and he shivered involuntarily and pulled the hood of his cloak more securely about him. Though the land around him was filled with hills- unnaturally so, he thought- now and again when horse and rider crested one he could see an ancient looking forest and the sparkle of the sun's reflection on water. He knew this would be where he would find the halflings.  
  
Another stinging wind, a reminder that autumn was nearly upon this land, struck him. He sighed. To keep his mind off the growing cold, he repeated his instructions. Upon reaching the boundaries of the land of the little folk- the Shire, he remembered the king had called it- he was sure to be stopped by the halflings' border patrol. He was to tell them he needed to see at least one of the king's Counselors in the North-kingdom*. If none were there, he would wait until they could be found. He was not to tell any of the halflings his news before them.  
  
The thought of the grievous news he bore filled him with sorrow. Not that he had really known the Lord Faramir; he was only an errand runner of Gondor, not one of the more important people in the kingdom at all. Still, as with all of the subjects of the South-kingdom*, the death of the steward* had hit him hard. The lord Faramir had been steward for all of this young man's life and for all the lives of most of the other citizens of Gondor. He could hardly believe it himself, and now he not only had to believe it but tell it to these halflings who had actually known Faramir.  
  
He sighed again and peered up at the sun that was scarcely to be seen through the thick cloud cover. Past lunch time, he thought. His stomach gave a loud rumble and he urged his horse to go faster. Surely these halflings would have some food for a weary traveler? The majority of his supplies had been ruined a few days before when a bridge he had been riding across collapsed. He had been hard pressed to escape with his life and his horse, much less his food. Fortunately, the valuable scroll with the king's message to his subjects in the north had not been damaged. The young errand runner was glad that the queen had the foresight to put her husband's message in an Elvish waterproof satchel. Too bad he had not put his stores in it as well, but it was no use crying over spilt milk, as his mother was prone to say. Besides, he was nearly in the halflings' land and they could not deny him some food, now could they?  
  
The sun shone with little warmth on the black speck of the man and horse, now less than a mile from the border of the Shire.  
  
* * *  
  
Rolo Reeds was not used to being as bored as he was now. The hobbit had held the misconception that being a Bounder would be a thrilling job, filled with fighting off orcs, wargs, and worse as daily tasks. When he confessed this thought to his father, Rogo, the older hobbit could hardly breathe from suppressed laughter. Rogo had been a Bounder for a great deal more time than his son, and the most trouble he had seen was a group of drunken hobbits.  
  
'What I wouldn't give for some excitement,' Rolo mused as he gazed over the gate marking Buckland's border to the road beyond. Hardly had the thought crossed his mind than excitement came charging at him, in the form of a great black horse carrying a tall figure, cloaked in black. "Pa," Rolo said slowly, then more urgently, "Pa!"  
  
"What now- Great Smials! Hurry, boy," Rogo hastened his slightly dazed offspring as he pushed the reins of a pony calmly eating grass nearby into the hands of the younger hobbit, "Ride to the Master at Brandy Hall and tell him to come quick!"  
  
"Wait!" the rider shouted, and to both hobbits' surprise it was not the menacing, hissing voice of a half remembered evil that called but the clear ringing tone of a young Man. The rider pulled off his hood to reveal a pair of piercing gray eyes and a dark head of hair. "Wait," he repeated as he slid off of his horse. He approached the hobbits slowly, careful not to frighten them. "I am not here to harm you. I come from the king of Gondor, bearing a letter from His Majesty to his friends in the Shire. Er," he looked around, "are they here?"  
  
Rogo puffed out his chest and did his best to sound in control of the situation. "Are who here, young Man?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I did not introduce myself." The rider gave the hobbits a low bow. "Hedor, messenger of Gondor, at your service."  
  
"Rogo Reeds and my son Rolo at yours," the hobbit replied, though he wasn't sure if he intended it to be much more than a formality to this strange Man.  
  
"His Royal Majesty, King Elessar Telcontar, and Her Royal Majesty, Queen Arwen Undomiel, would like to send their greetings and a message to their Counselors in the North-kingdom. That would be," Hedor pulled a mostly wet piece of paper on which he had scribbled his instructions from a pocket in his cloak and, with some difficulty due to the smudged letters, read, "the Thain of the Shire, the Master of Buckland, or the Mayor of Hobbiton."  
  
"Well, that's Master Eomer you'll be wanting. Go on now, Rolo, send the Master his message. And get him here, double sharp mind!"  
  
Rolo was finally able to stop gawking and climbed on the pony, which looked somewhat perturbed at being taken away from its meal. As he left, Rogo turned back to Hedor, who was looking decidedly unsure about this turn of events. The hobbit cleared his throat, casting around for something to break the uncomfortable silence. "Would you like somethin' to eat?"  
  
* * *  
  
As Rolo quickly approached Brandy Hall, Eomer, Cousin Tunneler, and a few of the other hobbit adults sat near one of the Hall's front doors, quietly smoking on their pipes and enjoying the short time from luncheon to afternoon tea. Tunneler broke the silence with a question to Eomer: "How's your son doing, Master? He feeling better now?"  
  
Eomer nodded at the other hobbit. "Yes, thank you, Tunneler. He's much improved with Mrs. Hazelwood's medicines. Not that he likes them much, nor her list of approved foods!" The hobbits chuckled and added their comments.  
  
"That tends to be the way with youngsters."  
  
"Don't know what's good for 'em!"  
  
"Hmm, my wife said the same about me the other day."  
  
Amid the general laughter at the last statement, Rolo came riding up in great haste. "Master Eomer! Master Eomer! There's a Man at the east gate, says he has a message to you from the king himself!"  
  
* * *  
  
*Counselors of the North-kingdom- According to 'The Return of the King' Appendix B, Shire Reckoning 1434 (Fourth Age 13): 'King Elessar makes the Thain, the Master, and the Mayor Counselors of the North-kingdom' i.e., Arnor.  
  
*South-kingdom- Another term for Gondor.  
  
*Death of the Steward- According to my copy of 'The Complete Guide to Middle-earth' (by Robert Foster), Faramir died in Fourth Age 82 (Shire Reckoning 1503), the year our story takes place.  
  
A/N II- Oooh, the plot thickens! Sorry about all the little footnotes, just 'brain candy' as one of teachers call them. I hope you liked this chapter, I'll try to hurry with the next one. Oh, yeah- be a responsible reader and review. Okay? Okay. :)  
  
cheerleader15- I like Tru, too- but don't tell Dandelion, or she'll get mad! LOL. I'm glad you liked that line. I'm updating as soon as possible!  
  
GreyLadyBast- 'Completely hobbity'? You think so? Good, because that's what I was trying for. You guys are so nice! :)  
  
On a side note, [looks at calendar] it's almost my birthday! It's almost my birthday! [calms down] Sorry, but it isn't every day a gal turns sixteen, now is it? Anyway, in the spirit of 'hobbity'-ness I've decided to give all of the poeple who review this chapter a virtual mathom- since I can't afford real ones. [smiles sheepishly] Toodle-oo! 


	10. A Tale and a Few Pleas

Disclaimer- If LOTR was mine, do you think this would be a fan fiction? No. Not mine. Except for the plot and all characters mentioned that Tolkien didn't.  
  
A/N- Okay, I've been working hard, and I'm going to try- key word- to post a chapter every week. I would have gotten this up sooner, but the FOTR SE came in the mail yesterday. Great happiness there! :) On we go!   
  
Chapter 10- A Tale and a Few Pleas  
  
Eomer leaped up from his comfortable chair and immediately wished he hadn't. The chair fell to the ground and landed on his foot. Doing his best not to wince, and succeeding (mostly), he turned to Rolo, who was getting off his pony. "What's all this about a Man at the east gate?"  
  
Rolo was nearly breathless, though he had been riding, not running. "There's a young Man, says he's from Gondor, an' he's got a huge black horse. He's taller than an oak tree, sir, an' he says he needs to talk to you, or the Thain, or the Mayor in Hobbiton. He said he had an important message from the king an' the queen in Gondor. Said a lot of fancy sounding stuff, but that was what he meant."  
  
Eomer ran to the stables. "Someone tell June. I'm going to get my pony saddled, and then I'm off to the east gate!"  
  
Tru had been going outside to join his father and some of the other adults. He had made it to the door when Rolo came dashing up. After hearing the news, he hurried back to Theo's room, where he knew Dandelion and Poppy would be.  
  
"Tell me a story, Dandy."  
  
Dandelion nearly rolled her eyes. "Another one? Theo, I must have told you all of my stories a hundred times since you've been feeling better."  
  
"Poppy?" Theo turned to her.  
  
She held up her hands in defense. "How can I possibly hold a candle to Dandelion, the greatest storyteller in all of Tookland?"  
  
"See, Dandy?" Theo said, giving her his most pleading and hopeful look.  
  
Dandelion sighed. "Doesn't any hobbit know the meaning of 'no' anymore?" she mumbled. Theo shook his head, still smiling winningly. "Right, then." Her green eyes grew thoughtful as she remembered past days when she would visit her grandparents and they'd tell her tales of long-ago deeds of bravery, faith, and friendship. "How about one that happened when I was a little girl? It's not as exciting as something from the war, but..." She trailed off, as Theo was nodding. He closed his eyes as she began.  
  
"One day, when we were both very young-we couldn't have been more than ten- Poppy and I had an argument. Now, this might not seem that significant; all people fight sometimes. But this seemed momentous because it was one of the first fights Poppy and I ever had. Though calling it a fight isn't really accurate: we were just arguing over some inconsequential thing I can't even remember. We both stormed off in different directions. Being the stubborn little lass I was, I wanted to storm off better than Poppy, so I stormed right off into a storm." She shivered at the memory. "We had been visiting Mayor Samwise and Mistress Rose."  
  
"Were Bergil, Emmy, and Amy there?" Theo interrupted.  
  
"Bergil was, but Emmy and Amy were too scared of the cold to go. They told me I'd catch my death of cold. They get more like Mum every day," Dandelion laughed quietly. Emerald and Amethyst, known as Emmy and Amy, were Dandelion's older sisters. "Anyway, it was the middle of winter, and I foolishly ran out of Bag End into a blizzard. I got lost quickly and I felt miserable. All I wanted was to go back to my nice warm bed with my mum and dad nearby. I eventually found my way to the mallorn tree in the Party Field. I huddled there for what seemed like ages; I'm sure I was almost frozen and soaked when my dad and granddad found me. They brought me back to Bag End, where Mum and Grandmother Rose were beside themselves with worry. Once I had gotten dried off and warmed up, Grandmother Rose checked me over to see if I was injured. As soon as they found I was not, they gave me a proper dressing-down and sent me straight to my bed.  
  
"The next day, the adults thought Poppy and I would surely apologize to each other. Of course, we wouldn't; both of us knew that 'I was right, she was wrong.'" Dandelion met Poppy's eyes and they smiled. "Granddad was right upset when we didn't so much as look at the other that day. He took us aside separately and gave us a talk. I'll always remember what he said: 'Now, Dandy-lass, just because you two don't see eye-to-eye on something don't mean you aren't friends anymore.'  
  
"'Yes it does!' I maintained. 'She just won't say I'm right.'  
  
"'Do you even know what you were disagreeing about?' I paused; strangely enough, I had no idea. Granddad noticed the confusion on my face, and he shook his head and chuckled. 'See? Is it worth giving up a friend for something you don't even know what it is?'  
  
"'I guess not,' I said slowly.  
  
"He pulled me onto his lap and rocked me in his chair. 'Friends and family, Dandy-lass, are the most important things in your life, and don't ever forget that. Friends and family.'"  
  
Dandelion shook her head. "I've never forgotten, and neither should you, Theo. It's something you can use for the rest of your life."  
  
Theo opened his mouth to respond, but at that moment Tru burst into the room. The three stared at him in shock as he announced, "There's a Big Person at the east gate!"  
  
"A what?"  
  
"A Big Person, y'know, a Man. He has a message for the Master, the Thain, and the Mayor. Master Eomer's saddling his pony now."  
  
Dandelion hopped from her spot on Theo's bed. "Maybe he'll need an ambassador from Tookland. I should go ask him."  
  
"Maybe one from the Northfarthing, too," Tru added as she hastened from the room. He followed quickly.  
  
"I want to come!" Theo struggled out of bed, against Poppy's protests. He shuffled after the other hobbits, clutching a blanket in one hand and a handkerchief in the other.  
  
Poppy threw up her hands in resignation. "If you can't beat them..." She trailed out of the room as well.  
  
* * *  
  
To the young hobbits' surprise, Eomer listened to them seriously as they spoke their plea to meet the strange Man from Gondor, instead of just brushing them off as 'little kids'. When they had finished, he regarded them a moment, then said, "Since the Man's message was for the Thain, the Mayor, or myself, I do believe it would be best if we had a representative- or two- for the Thain. Therefore, Dandelion and Poppy, you both may go. None of the Mayor's relations are here, though, so Tru can go with his father's permission. However," he turned to his son, who was now looking discouraged, "Theo, I don't think you should go."  
  
"But, Father--"  
  
"No buts. You have been ill for several days, and you're still not completely well, and I will not let you put yourself at risk to become even more sick. I am only looking out for your best interests, son," Eomer said softly.  
  
Theo gazed at his furry feet, refusing to meet his father's eyes. "B- Father," he began, omitting the 'but', "this is a very rare event in the Shire since the King's declaration that no Big Folk can enter it. Seeing a Man, I mean. How many times has it happened since you were born? How many times will it happen in mine? Less than yours, I think. And I've never even traveled to one of the Big People's countries. I don't think I've even seen one of them!" He looked up, staring resolutely at his father, his brown eyes set and determined not to give way. "Please let me go."  
  
Though Eomer was somewhat startled at his son's eloquent and persuasive speech, he wavered. His son's health was foremost in his mind, and he was keenly aware of Theo's weakened immune system. "Theo, I--"  
  
"Excuse me for interrupting, Master Eomer." All five hobbits started at the noiseless entrance into the stable of Mrs. Hazelwood. She walked over to Theo and felt of his forehead and cheeks to check his temperature. "How are you feeling, Theoden?"  
  
The young Brandybuck considered his answer carefully before replying. "A lot better than I did, Mrs. Hazelwood. I don't have a headache at all, my throat doesn't really hurt, it only sort of tickles, and I haven't sneezed in a while. My nose isn't even stopped up."  
  
The healer considered him for a moment. In truth, Theo had gotten well much quicker than she had believed he would. She attributed it not to her treatments (though they had undoubtedly helped), but rather to the strange leaves called kingsfoil, a plant that had been scarce for many years but was now beginning to crop up ubiquitously in Buckland. She recalled Master Meriadoc telling her mother about its useful properties when she had been naught older than Theo. Whatever the herb had done, she was of the opinion that Theo was feeling quite well enough to take a journey to the east gate, provided it was a short trip. She told Eomer this, adding, "You'll pardon me for saying so, sir, but you can't keep a young hobbit locked up in Brandy Hall forever. And the weather has been uncommon warm for fall lately. 'Elvish summer', my mother called it. It'll last a few days more, sir, and you'll have plenty of time to get there and back again before it gets more wintry."  
  
"Are you sure?" Eomer asked uncertainly, remembering how his son had been so weak and tired just a few days before. He certainly looked much improved, Eomer thought, though his cheeks were slightly pink. That was probably more from the slight chill in the air, he reasoned, than from an illness.  
  
Mrs. Hazelwood drew herself up importantly. "I would be willing to stake my reputation as a healer on it, sir," she replied grandly.  
  
"Then, Theo, you may go," Eomer resolved. He was still apprehensive, but he had full confidence in Mrs. Hazelwood's skills.  
  
"Hooray!" Theo shouted in delight, causing the pony to whose reins Eomer held to shy nervously.  
  
"Whoa!" Eomer cried out. He soothed the animal while the four younger hobbits chattered excitedly about seeing a real, live Man. "Get your ponies saddled, ambassadors. We'll be off as soon as you're ready!"  
  
* * *  
  
A/N II- Thanks for the 'happy birthdays'. I had a good time, thanks- 4 new books to read! Sorry if this chapter is somewhat shorter, but I'm already working on the next so it sould be up soon.  
  
cheerleader15- Happy (belated) birthday! Thanks again for the compliments. Methinks the 'ego deflation arrows' aren't working, with all your great reviews. LOL.  
  
GreyLadyBast- Thank you!!  
  
acorngirl- Life is pesky sometimes, isn't it? Yes, now the characters will actually start to do things- well, really starting next chapter. Thanks for reviewing! 


	11. Of Ponies and Long Talks

Disclaimer- Middle-earth, the wonderful creatures known as hobbits, and all the rest of it belong to JRR Tolkien and thus, his estate. I only created this story and some characters.  
  
A/N- I would like to apologize profusely for the ridiculously long wait for this (and the next) chapter. My mind was concentrationg on anything but this, it seemed, and my teachers gave me an enormous workload. But, recently, I finally figured out where this story is going and how to get it there. So, hopefully, updates won't take this long. Also, I had only one review for the last chapter (thank you, cheerleader15!). I'd like to get more than that, so if you like this story- review. If you don't like it- review. If you have no opinion- review anyway. Thank you.  
  
Chapter 11- Of Ponies and Long Talks  
  
Eomer had gone outside to talk with some older hobbits about the oddity of Men in the Shire. Poppy, Dandelion, and Tru began to saddle their ponies. Since Theo had gone back to Brandy Hall to get some warmer clothes (Mrs. Hazelwood's orders), Tru got Theo's pony ready. The pony, Roan, a young male that was aptly named (as he was reddish-brown in color), was a descendant of one of the ponies Master Meriadoc had brought from Rohan, as were many of the other ponies in Brandy Hall's stables. Tru had of course ridden his own pony, a silvery male called Dusk, to the Hall, but Dandelion and Poppy had not. Therefore, they chose two of the stabled ponies. Dandelion found a golden colored female she had often rode while in Buckland, an energetic pony named Sunbeam. Poppy picked a white female that was called Snow.  
  
Poppy saddled and bridled Snow quickly (on purpose, Dandelion thought), and left the stable, leaving Dandelion and Tru alone. 'Talk to him, Dandelion,' thought the hobbit lass, and finally she cleared her throat. "Thank you for getting Theo's pony ready for him, Tru." 'Oh, that was wonderful. Now what's he going to say, thank you?' she thought sarcastically. As if sensing her thoughts, Sunbeam snorted in displeasure.  
  
"'Twas nothing, Dandelion. I'm happy to do it; Roan, and all of the other ponies at the stable are handsome animals. I've never seen such strong ponies before." Tru smiled, but Dandelion was currying Sunbeam and did not see him.  
  
"That's because these are ponies from Rohan," Dandelion explained, glad her comment was turning into a conversation.  
  
"Rohan? What's that?"  
  
The Took looked at him in some surprise. "Oh, I forgot you wouldn't know. It's a country far south of the Shire, where there are no hobbits, only Men. They're called the Horse-lords because they care so much for horses and raise them so well." She finished grooming the pony and found a bridle, moving slowly intentionally so the two hobbits could talk longer. "Master Meriadoc brought some ponies back from there. He was considered a knight of Rohan and was very famous there."  
  
"I never knew that. How did he get to be a knight in a country of the Big Folk?" Tru asked.  
  
"I wonder if I could get Aunt Elanor to let you see the Red Book, or one of its copies," Dandelion pondered. "It has the whole tale in it. And every word of it is true," she added, remembering Fred Sandyman's rude remarks angrily.  
  
"Everyone always says it's just some nonsense made up by the four hobbits to explain why they were gone for so long. 'It's just the oddities of the Tooks and Brandybucks and Gardners,' they say, and usually they add, 'Frodo and old Bilbo were mad for years anyway,'" explained the hobbit lad. "I never knew it was real, except for the Battle of Bywater, of course. Since the Thain, the Master, and the Mayor were very important in that, most people can ignore their strange tales."  
  
"That's the problem with all of the hobbits in the Shire," Dandelion replied, becoming irritated at the insults and untruths said about her family. "They don't understand something, or something goes against what they've known, so they say it isn't real or another hobbit is mad to say it is."  
  
There was silence for a few moments and Dandelion wondered if Tru was taken aback at her statement. "I wanted the stories to be genuine," he murmured, half to himself. "But everyone else was so sure the tales were flights of fancy that I just went along with them. What about the tree?" he asked turning to Dandelion.  
  
"Which tree?" asked Dandelion, confused by the sudden turn in the discussion.  
  
"The really tall one, in the Party Field in Hobbiton."  
  
"Oh, that. What about it?"  
  
"Where's it from? Nobody's ever been able to come up with a suitable explanation for it."  
  
"It was a gift to Mayor Samwise from the Elven Lady Galadriel," Dandelion answered. "It's called a mallorn, and it's the only mallorn tree to ever grow outside of Lothlorien. That's one of the most Elvish of places you could ever go to, even more so than Rivendell. Not so much now though," she added sadly. "Not since the Lady sailed into the West with Lord Elrond and the other Ringbearers." She went on in a lighter tone. "My father climbed it once."  
  
Tru was shocked at this statement. "He did? But- how? The lowest branches are far too high for a hobbit to get to, even if the tree was a lot smaller."  
  
Dandelion laughed, recalling when her father told her the story. "Well, he didn't really. What happened was one day when my father was little, his father- Thain Peregrin, y'know- was walking with Mayor Samwise and Master Meriadoc. Papa was sitting on my grandpa's shoulders, listening as they talked about their past journeys. Grandpa and the Master were both taller than normal hobbits from their adventures, so Papa was very high up. As they passed under the mallorn tree, he grabbed at the closest branch and was lifted off of Grandpa's shoulders. He scrambled on top of it and began swinging his legs back and forth, trying to keep balanced. Grandpa and the others were yelling at him to get down from there, so he let go of the branch and fell- right on top of Grandpa. Papa said that the Thain didn't think it was very funny, but Master Meriadoc and Mayor Samwise always laughed whenever they remembered it. 'Your son's growing to be a regular Took, Pip,' the Master said."  
  
"That's a funny story. It's hard to imagine your dad being a mischievous little hobbit lad," Tru said, smiling at Dandelion again. This time, the lass saw and she smiled back. "How did the Thain and the Master get to be taller than normal hobbits?"  
  
"Oh, that was from the Ent-draughts."  
  
"'Ent-draughts'? I suppose those are from the Red Book as well," Tru mused. "I don't really remember the Thain being much taller than the other adult hobbits. Of course, I was only a teenager when my family left the Smials, and usually when I saw him before that we were in trouble yet again." He glanced over at Dandelion. To his amazement, her cheeks were reddening.  
  
"Yes, about that Tru- I'm sorry."  
  
"Sorry?" Tru repeated wonderingly. "I'm the one that should be sorry. I was always picking on you and provoking you to no end. I'm sorry, Dandelion."  
  
"Let's not argue over such a silly thing. Besides, I'm the one who always started the fighting," Dandelion countered.  
  
"Now who's arguing!" Tru laughed. He had never suspected that once a conversation had started between the Took lass and himself that it would wander around so much and that he would be so reluctant for it to stop. He suddenly realized that they both had their ponies saddled and ready to go. He mock bowed to Dandelion in an indication that she could go out first, then followed the laughing girl outside. Therefore, they were, with Poppy, witnesses to the strange scene of June Brandybuck pulling her struggling son by the ear toward the stables.  
  
* * *  
  
If you would like to know what initiated this peculiar sight, we must go back to when Theo was gathering some warm clothing for use on the trip. He quickly put on a sweater, some thick trousers, and wrapped a scarf around his neck, but, of course, he did not wear shoes. Then, he donned a coat and, feeling quite warm, decided against wearing anything else. He grabbed a few handkerchiefs, just in case, and left his room.  
  
As he walked down the hall, feeling better than he had in a week, Theo began to whistle a tune. He was so intent upon the exciting prospect of going to see a Man and, perhaps, having an adventure, that he failed to see his mother approaching him until she had halted in front of him with her arms folded and one eyebrow raised. "Oh, hello Mum," he said, paying no heed to her disapproving look.  
  
"And where, might I ask, are you going, Theo?" his mother queried suspiciously as she took in his warm clothes and carefree manner.  
  
"To the stables. I'd better hurry, I don't want them to leave without me." Theo attempted to edge past his mother, but June stopped him with a firm grip on his pointy ear. "Ow!"  
  
"Who is 'them' and where, after the stables, are you going, Theoden?"  
  
Theo knew by the use of his proper name that his mother was in no mood for riddles. "Father, Dandy, Poppy, Tru, an' me are going to talk to that Man the Bounder told Father about."  
  
"Oh, no, you most certainly are not," June replied.  
  
"But Mum, Father said I could go!"  
  
"Did he now? Well then, let's go have a talk with Master Eomer." With that, June marched down the hall to the nearest outside door and stalked to the stables, Theo in tow. The lad's lighthearted manner had been effectively squashed, and he cast many beseeching looks at his mother, who ignored them. Poppy, Dandelion, and Tru watched them go past curiously. Eomer had been bidding his friends farewell, but he sensed the approach of his wrathful wife. He turned quickly to face her and seemed more than a little surprised at seeing Theo held by his ear.  
  
"June! I didn't think I'd see you before we left, m'dear. I--"  
  
"Don't 'm'dear' me, you rascal, father of a rascal. What do you mean by gallivanting out in the wild with our ill son on a cold evening just to talk to some Man?!"  
  
"I'm not ill--"  
  
"Quiet, Theoden. Well, Eomer, what have you got to say for yourself, hmm? Speak up, you're a grown-up hobbit, stop acting like a naughty child caught with his hand in the cookie jar."  
  
Eomer was a good head taller than his wife, but he wilted in front of her furious accusing glare. "Well, I... Mrs. Hazelwood said he was well enough to go and I..."  
  
"I don't care what Mrs. Hazelwood says! She may be a good healer and all but I am not risking Theoden's health on something so trivial as a visit with a Man!"  
  
Eomer knew when he was beat. He could stand up to most any hobbit, except for his wife when she was in a towering rage. "Yes, June. I should've asked your opinion on the subject before I told Theo he could go."  
  
Theo looked in disbelief at his father, sensing he was losing his most valuable ally. "But, Mum, Father, I'm not ill. I don't even feel sick an'--"  
  
Completely ignoring her son's pleas, June said, "Now, Eomer, does Theo have permission to go anywhere while he's not feeling well?" Theo let out a frustrated groan.  
  
"No, June, he does not," Eomer answered dutifully.  
  
"As I thought. Come along, Theo. We're getting you out of those clothes and back into bed where you belong."  
  
"Can't I at least say good-bye to everyone, Mum?"  
  
June was about to hustle him back into the Hall when she saw his sad demeanor. She felt badly about not letting Theo go to see the Man, but she, even more so than her husband, keenly knew not to let young hobbits that weren't fully recovered go out into the cold. Her sister had made that mistake at a very young age, and had not lived to regret it. "If you are quick," she sighed.  
  
Theo sprang off to bid his friends a safe and pleasant journey. The young hobbit was very upset about not being allowed to go, but that did not mean he was planning to stay at home. Quite the opposite; even as he told his friends good-bye with mock cheerfulness, he was plotting a way to go with them, with or without his parents' permission.  
  
* * *  
  
A/N continued- This next chapter is the long awaited mathom for acorngirl, cheerleader15, and GreyLadyBast. Please review it as well! 


	12. Scheming Lads and Giggling Girls

Disclaimer- "The Lord of the Rings" is still not mine. Sorry if you were told otherwise.  
  
Chapter 12- Scheming Lads and Giggling Girls  
  
"Good-bye!" Theo yelled, doing his best to look sad and left out. Poppy, Dandelion, Tru, and his father were leaving Brandy Hall with Rolo, riding off into the sunset like the heroes from stories Theo listened to as a younger hobbit lad- even if they were, technically, riding away from the sunset. He waved despondently once more, then followed his mother back inside the Hall.  
  
"Theo, I'm sorry you can't go meet that Man- I know you really wanted to, dear- but honestly, I'm just looking out for your safety. D'you want to go so badly that you're willing to risk your health on it?" When Theo didn't answer, June added, "I thought as much. Don't worry, there'll be other Men, at other times."  
  
Although his mother had taken his silence for a negative answer, Theo really just wasn't paying her much attention. He was going through a long repertoire of ways he knew to sneak out, hoping he would find a good one he hadn't used in a while. It wasn't that Theo was a disobedient child- well, he was, but he wasn't disobedient for the sake of being disobedient. 'I am seventeen years old,' he thought indignantly, 'about time they should start trusting me more.' Besides, he was adamant about wanting to see a Big Person.  
  
As they continued down the hall toward Theo's bedroom- 'Where I'm being exiled to,' he thought morosely- Theo wished Dandelion or one of the others had stuck up for his inclusion in the party. He had wanted to shout that he was coming, or they'd have to send him home tied in a sack, as Thain Peregrin had said in one of Dandy's stories- then he had remembered he was already home, and even if he was not there was a good chance his mother would have tied him in a sack and taken him back. Thinking of this made him think of Dandelion's stories, and his mind went over them casually, looking- with little hope- for a way to sneak out that night. Suddenly, he began to smile, and then he nearly laughed, for he had thought of a perfect plan. Theo hurried to catch up with his mother, who was several strides in front, and stopped smiling, instead adopting a downcast look.  
  
"Mum, I don't feel well. I'm gonna go t'bed now, if that's all right."  
  
"Of course," June answered, realizing that all the excitement must have tired him out.  
  
Theo entered his room (shutting the door behind him), rushed to get dressed for bed and jumped into the covers. He paused for a minute or two, then called, "I'm in bed!" to his waiting mother, who silently went into the room and to his bed.  
  
"Good-night, Theo. Sweet dreams." June kissed her son on the forehead and walked toward the door.  
  
"Good-night, Mum," Theo replied, making a big show of yawning and blinking tiredly. "See you in the morning." The young hobbit listened to the soft shuffle of his mother's feet going down the hall; when they faded into the distance, he leapt out of bed and pulled his clothes back on. It was, after all, a cold night. He tugged some spare pillows from out of a drawer and dropped them onto the top of the bed. He arranged them into what could pass for a hobbit shape as quickly as he dared, then produced the finishing touch from a drawer in his dresser: a small brown cloth. 'It is not,' he thought regretfully, 'a perfect match for my hair, but in the dark it will be hard to tell. I think.' He placed it carefully on the top of his pillow-hobbit, then crept to the window and opened it quietly. Theo was halfway out of it when he remembered his pack. He rolled his eyes in annoyance at his forgetfulness and hurried quietly back to his dresser, picked the sack of supplies- mostly food- out from a drawer, and carefully exited his room through his round window.  
  
He landed on the grass and dropped to the ground, listening carefully to make sure his escape had not been noticed. A soft bark came from inside his room. "Scamp," Theo said in surprise. How could he have forgotten his puppy? He looked into the window to see the aforementioned puppy looking at him mournfully. "I'll be all right, Scamp, don't worry. Stay here." With that, he shut the window. Scamp jumped onto a chair and propped his front paws on the window frame, watching his young master weave his careful way across the yard, until he entered the stables and disappeared from the pup's view. Scamp put his head onto his paws and whimpered to express his loneliness. But he, unlike the hobbit he had watched, knew when to follow orders, and soon left the window to take his place at the foot of the bed.  
  
* * *  
  
Theo had managed to escape Brandy Hall, but he was not immediately going to the east gate. Oh no. 'I have to get Mat,' the young hobbit thought. So, he was now in fact riding his pony north to Crickhollow, where, as you may remember, there was a small house. It was indeed the same house used by Frodo Baggins, where he pretended to be moving after he sold Bag End. But that, of course, is another story.  
  
Crickhollow was not very far from Brandy Hall, no more than a couple of miles, but Theo needed speed and so had gotten Roan saddled and bridled hastily, then set off. Roan was a swift pony, one of the swiftest in the Shire, so it was around half an hour after he had set out that Theo reached the house. After Frodo had sailed West, the house had been occupied by Master Meriadoc and Thain Peregrin (before they were Master and Thain, of course), and then shuffled among several hobbit families until the current owners, the Goold family, had come into possession.  
  
Theo rode to a window on the western side and slid off his saddle. He led Roan right up next to the window; then, the hobbit tapped on it. "Mat!" There was no response from the room within. Theo tapped harder. "Mat! Mat! Matta Goold!" His pointed ears picked up slight noises from inside. The window was flung open by a sleepy hobbit lad, no older than Theo.  
  
"What?" he said tiredly.  
  
"Mat, it's me- Theo."  
  
Mat rubbed at his eyes, trying to focus clearly on his friend. "Theo? What's the time? Why are you here? We heard you were," he yawned, "ill or something."  
  
The Brandybuck shuffled his feet. "I was, but I'm better now. Get dressed. It's time for an adventure!"  
  
At this Mat's curiosity was piqued, but he was still partly asleep. "Can't it wait until morning? I'm dead tired, Theo. It's too early for adventures."  
  
Theo was growing impatient. Roan nuzzled his shoulder, as if sensing his restlessness. "Nonsense. Adventures happen when they happen, and this one's happening now. There's a Man down at the East Gate, and my father and some of my cousins are down there right at this moment. I'm going to meet them."  
  
"Half a minute!" cried Mat, now thoroughly awake. He vanished from the window.  
  
"And get the disguise!" Theo shouted after him.  
  
Mat reappeared at the window and looked at his friend curiously. "Why?"  
  
"Just get it. We might need it, you never know."  
  
Mat disappeared again, dressed quickly, and climbed out of his window, carrying a small sack. The two hobbit lads then mounted Roan.  
  
Theo, who was in front, snapped the reins slightly. "Yah!"  
  
After they had been riding for a few minutes, Mat said conversationally, "So, I'm assuming your mum and dad wouldn't let you go."  
  
Theo shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "You assume wrong. Father was all for letting me go, then Mum got wind of it, and that was that." He shrugged, then pointed out, "You didn't even ask your parents."  
  
Mat laughed. "And wake them up? No, thank you, I'll take my chances with my parents after our adventure's over."  
  
They rode on, then Theo voiced his thoughts. "I wonder what a Man's doing at the East Gate anyway."  
  
* * *  
  
Dandelion, at the moment, was thinking the same thing. Rolo had said the Man was a messenger from the king, but that did little to explain why he was in the Shire. To see a Man in the Shire was nearly unheard of, because since the end of the War of the Ring, hobbits had gone back to the way they had always been: caring little for what was happening in the world farther than Bree. She frowned. With that kind of thinking, it would be so easy for some Big Person to come and try to take over the Shire, like Saruman had done before. But, of course, she was forgetting the king's proclamation in 1427, that no Men were allowed in the Shire. A Big Person who was trying to take over the Shire wouldn't care about the king, though, would he?  
  
Poppy saw her friend frown and edged up beside her. "Are you all right, Dandy?" Tru heard her and looked back at them for the answer.  
  
"What? Oh, sorry, Poppy, I suppose I was just preoccupied. I've been wondering why a Man would be in the Shire. Bounder Rolo," she called. The hobbit turned in his seat.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Did the Man say what he wanted or what he was here for?"  
  
Rolo shook his head emphatically, causing him to lose his balance and nearly fall off his pony. "No, ma'am, he said that he had a message from the king an' queen to the Thain or the Master or the Mayor."  
  
There was a short pause, then Dandelion and Poppy laughed, sharing a joke in that silent communication of best friends. "And what, might I ask, is so funny?" inquired Tru.  
  
"It's just that," Dandelion began, "the Thain is my father, and Poppy's second cousin (by marriage), even though he's once removed; the Mayor is my uncle and Poppy's first cousin, again once removed; and we have the Master of Buckland - who is also my second cousin, once removed - with us. So, between us we're related to the three most powerful hobbits in the Shire."  
  
"How is that funny?" Tru questioned.  
  
The girls looked at each other and burst into peals of laughter again without responding.  
  
Tru shook his head and faced forward again, remembering something his father had told him once: "Women can be awful strange at times, my lad, giggling over nothin' at all or crying over nothing, especially around the time of their comin' o' age. I don't understand it, you won't understand it, no male has ever or will ever understand it. It's just the way it is." The hobbit thought pensively that this must be one of those times and hoped tears weren't forthcoming.  
  
Ahead of said brooding and giggling young hobbits, Rolo's pony suddenly broke into a gallop as he recognized his home. The other ponies were immediately urged faster to catch him, and so they reached the Bounder-house with a great clamor of hooves and eager talking amongst the three youngest. The group dismounted quickly and walked to the Bounder-house, Rolo and Eomer in the lead.  
  
"I wonder what the Man will be like," said Dandelion, her eyes shining.  
  
Tru grinned and Poppy shrugged. "We're about to find out."  
  
* * *  
  
A/N- Review! Please! 


	13. A Rumor Revealed

Disclaimer- LOTR is not mine. I have yet to figure out how to gain the rights to Middle-earth and all it includes. The plot and new characters are my creation. Do not use without permission.  
  
A/N- Hello! Long time no see. I'm actually *very* sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up. I had no idea my muse would move to Nepal right in the middle of it. But now, with Science Fair, Governor's Honors interviews, and Greek tragedy essays done with (I hope! The teachers have been putting it on thick this past semester), updates will be less few and far-between. I meant to post this last week, but Mardi Gras came. If you live in the south, this is a big holiday, and I couldn't finish it. To compensate, it's longer than usual. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 13- A Rumor Revealed  
  
Rolo knocked confidently on the Bounder-house door, then waited for it to open. The three younger hobbits looked at the door expectantly. The large horse (that Dandelion presumed belonged to the Man) snorted at the loud noise and raised his head sharply. He looked disdainfully at the hobbit-ponies that had been tied near him and were now eating the grass he had been feeding on and considered them for a moment. Then he went back to his business - namely, dining. A minute passed. Eomer coughed. Rolo's brows furrowed and he rapped on the door loudly. Still, it showed no inclination of opening. The Bounder leaned over and put his pointed ear against the door, listening intently. It twitched once, then twice. He stood back upright and faced them, his back to the door. "There's someone in there, sir," he said to Eomer, "but I can't hear enough to tell who 'tis."  
  
"Is the door unlocked?" Eomer replied impatiently, tapping his furry foot against the hard-packed dirt beneath it.  
  
"Oh, not usually, sir," Rolo responded, groping for the handle behind his back. "If we're not outside, the--" The remainder of his sentence was lost because, his hand having found the knob, he turned it instinctively, causing it to swing inwards. Rolo fell backwards, though he managed to retain his balance enough to keep from crashing to the floor. He quickly regained his composure, mumbling apologetically that, "Yes, well, Pa must've known we'd be along afore long." A loud burst of laughter from down the hall followed his statement. He looked behind him nervously.  
  
"Lead the way, please, Bounder Rolo. None of us know where to go," Eomer instructed. The other hobbit nodded and set off down the passage in the direction of the laughter, Eomer behind him, then Dandelion, Poppy, and Tru all in a line.  
  
Poppy tapped Dandelion's shoulder and raised her eyebrows questioningly when her friend looked back. The blond hobbit shrugged, as if to say she didn't know who was laughing or why either. They found the answers as soon as they halted in the round doorway to a small, but pleasant, room with a large fireplace burning merrily along the right-hand wall (never mind the fact that it was only a few weeks after Baggins Day*, and so in the first week of Winterfilth**, and a fire was not strictly necessary). A door (probably leading to one of a hobbit house's numerous pantries) stood slightly ajar on the opposite wall. A table (it looked to be filled with the remains of tea) and several chairs, seeming far too small for one of its occupants, were placed in the middle. At their entrance, there was another roar of laughter from the two in the chairs, who apparently hadn't noticed their arrival.  
  
"No!" gasped one as he managed to control his mirth. He was the Big Person, Dandelion noted with excitement, and dressed like the Rangers of old were said to, in deep green or perhaps black pants, shirt, and cloak, stained and worn and looking strangely as if they'd been recently wet. His cloak was thrown back over one shoulder and on the other was fastened a circular pin with seven stars about the edge and a minute tree flowering in the center. His hair was dark and wavy, and his gray eyes, though filled with humor, were keen. Strangest of all were the leather garments on his feet- boots, of course, but to hobbits boots were objects of fantasy stories. He chuckled again. "She didn't!"  
  
"Aye, sir, that she did! New dress an' all, right off the Bridge and into the River!" The hobbit sitting across from him nodded decisively to emphasize his point. "She was sore at poor Rudy for near a month, she was, an' afterwards she--" He suddenly broke off, staring aghast at the newcomers. The Man followed his gaze and the two were out of their seats with alacrity, bowing respectfully and rattling off explanations without pausing for breath.  
  
"That's quite all right, Bounder Rogo," Eomer cut in. He fixed them both with a no-nonsense stare, and Dandelion was reminded of the fact that, no matter how easy-going his normal manner, Eomer was the Master of Buckland, and the title was not unearned. "I understand you are a messenger from Gondor?" he said to the Man.  
  
He bowed again. "Hedor, son of Hamon, messenger of Gondor, sent by Their Royal Majesties King Elessar Telcontar and Queen Arwen Undomiel, to His Majesty's Counselors in the North-kingdom."  
  
"I am Eomer Brandybuck, Master of Buckland and Counselor to the King, and these are representatives of the Thain: his daughter, Dandelion Took, and his first cousin-in-law (once removed), Poppy Cotton, and this is Truman Boffin, representing the Northfarthing," Eomer answered formally, indicating each of them in turn. Hedor's eyes scanned them, then he bowed again. Unsure of what would be the proper protocol in such circumstances, the girls curtsied and Tru bowed. Eomer merely inclined his head, accepting the polite gesture, and waited for the Man to continue.  
  
Hedor did so by pulling a small bag, made of some leather-like material, from a pocket in his cloak and removing a scroll wrapped in black cloth. He unwrapped the cloth and unrolled the scroll, then straightened his posture and proclaimed in a formal tone: "Elessar Telcontar, who is also called Aragorn son of Arathorn and the Elfstone, of Gondor and Arnor King and Arwen Undomiel, the Evenstar, of Gondor and Arnor Queen to their friends in the Shire: Greetings! It is our sad duty to tell you of most grievous happenings of late: the Steward of Gondor and Prince of Ithilien Lord Faramir fell ill and passed away in his sleep in Narie (Forelithe in the Shire-reckoning). The Lady Eowyn was much aggrieved by his passing and joined him in eternal slumber soon afterward. The City of Minas Tirith mourns its loss as it celebrates the new Steward and Prince: Lord Boromir III, son of Lord Faramir and Lady Eowyn.  
  
"Because of this and because it has been far too long since any of the Little Folk visited our City, we wish to extend a royal invitation to you and yours to come to Minas Tirith as soon as you are able. In especial we should like either Master Eomer, Thain Faramir, or one of the descendants of Mayor Samwise to come.  
  
"Signed on this day the twentieth of Cermie, being the nineteenth day of Afterlithe in the Shire-reckoning, Fourth Age 82,  
  
"Elessar Telcontar, Aragorn son of Arathorn, the Elfstone, of Gondor and Arnor King and Arwen Undomiel, the Evenstar, of Gondor and Arnor Queen."***  
  
Poppy gasped, shocked by the news. She felt Dandelion beside her stiffen and then bow her head, though otherwise her friend outwardly did not show her grief. Tru looked uncertain though saddened by the tidings. Dandelion whispered to him quickly, "Lord Faramir was the brother of Boromir, one of the Nine Walkers, and Thain Peregrin saved his life once. My father was named after him. He was a good Man. And the Lady Eowyn was the sister of the old King of Rohan, Eomer. Master Meriadoc helped her slay the Witch-king, the chief of the Black Riders. She was an admirable lady." Then she fell silent.  
  
Eomer, too, had gone rigid at Hedor's words, but said nothing. The Bounders, Rogo and Rolo, took off their caps respectfully. Rolo fidgeted and toyed nervously with the feather in his. Hedor rolled the scroll up and handed it and the black cloth with it to Eomer, who opened it and skimmed it quickly. He sighed, his face suddenly weary. "Thank you, Messenger Hedor. I must send word of this to the Tookland and to Hobbiton, as well as the Westmarch and other places. Pray, ride back with us to my home at Brandy Hall so that we may eat together and you can tell of anything else happening in the south."  
  
Hedor shifted uncomfortably. "I am sorry, Master Eomer, but I have strict orders that say I may not pass into the Shire any more than is needed to fulfill my errand. I must return to Minas Tirith as soon as I may, and either bring word that you cannot come or escort you there. I will be content in this house for the duration of my stay here, if that is all right with Bounder Rogo and yourself, sir. Also," he added quickly, as if he had just remembered, "I must take another letter to the Lords Elladan and Elrohir from the King."  
  
"Ah." Eomer nodded, then smiled, though it did not reach his eyes, which were sad. "I don't suppose you've anything left from - tea, was it? Or dinner?"  
  
Rogo stepped forward, bobbing his head courteously. "A sort of tea an' dinner combined, sir. Would you an' the young madams and sir be wanting any supper? We have plenty of food, sir."  
  
"Thank you, Bounder. Yes, we certainly would, and we shall leave for Brandy Hall on the morrow. It's far too late now," Eomer remarked, looking out the window. There was a muffled thudding noise and Dandelion started, but glancing around it seemed no one else had heard it. 'Must have been my imagination,' she thought.  
  
With the meal and the talkative nature of hobbits the atmosphere soon became more relaxed, and Hedor answered the younger set's questions cheerfully. Tru wanted to know all about Minas Tirith, Dandelion pelted him with queries about the political state of Gondor and Rohan (she was very interested in government), and Poppy wished to hear more about the king and queen. Even Rolo dared to ask a few things. Eomer and Rogo listened to everything but said little, the one knowing little about the places and people the Man spoke of and the other content to hear and eat.  
  
* * *  
  
"They're here already!" Theo hissed in a loud whisper as the lads and Roan approached the Bounder-house.  
  
"They left earlier than you did. Did you really think you were going to beat them?" Mat asked, climbing out of the saddle and patting the pony's sweaty side.  
  
His friend's shoulders slumped. "I suppose not, but now what are we going to do? We can't possibly get inside without them knowing."  
  
"Maybe there's a window open somewhere we can climb through."  
  
"Maybe," Theo answered as he tied Roan's reins to a tree branch with the other ponies and solitary horse.  
  
Mat kept looking back as they walked quietly around the house and Theo noticed. "What's back there?" he asked, seeing that the yard looked as it had when they rode up.  
  
"Oh," Mat said, "I was just thinking. That Man's horse is so big; how can there be a rider tall enough for it?"  
  
"I dunno," Theo shrugged.  
  
They finally saw a window lit brightly from within and neared it cautiously. It was closed but Theo, being the taller of the two, stood on his furry toes and peeked through it. He gasped and backed up quickly, running into Mat and they both fell to the ground with a thump. The hobbits looked up at the window, expecting a tall and threatening Man to leer at them out of it any moment. Fortunately, the window remained firmly closed.  
  
"What was that all about?" Mat asked irritably as he rubbed an elbow that he had scraped on a rock as they fell.  
  
"My father was looking out the window," Theo replied. "I guess he didn't see me."  
  
"Did you see the Man?" Mat questioned excitedly.  
  
"Not really. I just saw Dandy, a Bounder with a feather in his cap, a tall person all in dark clothes, and then my father. He was saying something, but I couldn't hear what."  
  
"D'you suppose the Man knows what an Elf looks like?" Mat asked, his eyes full of mischief.  
  
Theo looked at him with mock surprise. "You're not suggesting what I think you're suggesting, are you?"  
  
Mat tipped over the sack he had been carrying and spilled out the contents. "It was your idea, or don't you remember?"  
  
"When will I learn never to tell you anything?" Theo replied, picking up a shirt made of light green cloth.  
  
Mat saw what he was doing and said, "Wait, you get to be the top? Again? Why am I always the bottom? You're taller than I am!"  
  
Theo frowned. "But you're sturdier than I am. Whenever I'm the bottom, you fall off. And this was my idea, as you kindly pointed out, and so I get to choose which half I get to be."  
  
"Now it's my turn to ask 'When will I learn never to tell you anything?'"  
  
A few minutes later, the pair were nearly unrecognizable as hobbits. Mat wore a pair of pants whose color matched the long shirt Theo had donned. Theo also sported a green hat with golden hair messily sewn into it. He winced as he put it over his head and it pulled his curls. "I wish you had gotten one of your sisters to sew this."  
  
Mat glared at him as he pulled the lengthy pants up to his chest. "If I had asked them to, they would have asked what it was for. And then they wouldn't have agreed to it and would've told my mum and yours. At least you don't have to wear this ridiculous thing!" He plucked at the fabric of his part of the costume moodily.  
  
"Whose idea was this, anyway?" Theo grumbled. Mat stooped and Theo climbed onto his shoulders. The hobbit duo wobbled but remained upright as Mat stood back up, grunting with exertion.  
  
"Yours, as I've told you who knows how many times."  
  
They wiggled and tilted as Theo's precarious perch moved towards the window but, with the knowledge that comes from long practice, the Brandybuck shifted his weight against falling and managed not to tumble off each time. "Ready?" he breathed down to Mat, who, despite his complaining, was as excited as his friend.  
  
"I'm waiting on you," he countered.  
  
"Move to the left," Theo instructed softly. A little more and they would be in front of the window. Mat hopped in that direction and Theo could again see through the round glass. He tapped on the window and grinned brightly as all within looked at him. Poppy screamed at the strange apparition and Eomer, Rogo, and Hedor leapt to their feet and sprinted for the door, Hedor drawing a sword from its sheath at his side. Theo's grin disappeared. "Uh-oh," he muttered.  
  
Unable to see, Mat said, "What 'uh-oh'? What's going on?"  
  
"They saw me."  
  
"They were supposed to!"  
  
"But now they're coming after us!" Theo yelled as a side door crashed open and two hobbits and a Man barreled out.  
  
"Uh-oh," Mat agreed.  
  
"Run!" Mat tried, but he kept stumbling and Theo could see the sword gleaming in the moonlight quickly approaching. "Hop!" he improvised.  
  
So Mat did. Unluckily, he had not had the time to turn around; besides, he wanted Theo to be able to see where their pursuers were. On his third backwards jump, his ankle caught the edge of his pants and he slipped and fell with an "Oof!" Theo had been preparing himself for another spring and had pushed himself off a little, resulting in his falling a few feet behind Mat. "Uh-oh," the Goold whispered, now being able to see the Master, Bounder, and Messenger of Gondor standing a few feet away.  
  
Eomer immediately recognized his face and marched towards him. Mat cowered, trying to hide inside his skin. For all that Eomer was feet shorter than the Man, Mat would have sworn he was leagues taller. "Matta Goold," Eomer said in an even, though anger-filled, voice, "what is the meaning of this?"  
  
A tiny voice rang out, "Er, that is, actually, it was my idea, Father."  
  
Eomer turned toward the other green lump of hobbit lad. "Theoden Brandybuck! Where are you supposed to be, young hobbit?"  
  
"Brandy Hall," Theo said so softly it was barely audible.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
Theo straightened instinctively at his father's tone. "Brandy Hall, sir!" he stated smartly.  
  
Eomer walked stiff legged to him and pulled him upright by his pointy ear. Theo winced but said nothing. "What, exactly, were you two doing?" He picked the hat off of his son's head and his mouth formed a thin line. "Don't tell me the rumors of Elves in Buckland were all because of a prank."  
  
"They... were, sir," Theo said miserably.  
  
Eomer towed him to Mat and collected the other by his ear, then strode back inside, Rogo and Hedor following silently. The latter sheathed his sword as they entered the Bounder-house.  
  
Tru and Rolo had automatically leapt between the two lasses and the strange creature at the window. Dandelion had risen from her seat with a pale face, and Poppy had clutched the side of the table desperately. After it had disappeared and the others had rushed outside, Dandelion indignantly tried to edge between the two boys.  
  
"Nay, miss, best whatever that be should be stopped by us instead o' you," Rolo said, blocking her way.  
  
Tru turned his head to see her. His hazel eyes were frightened but determined and met her glaring greens coolly. "He's right, Dandy. I mean," he stuttered. He had never called her by her nickname or, indeed, anything but Dandelion since they had met again at Brandy Hall.  
  
Dandelion smiled at him in spite of her anxiety and the fluttering of butterflies in her stomach. "You can call me Dandy, Tru. Unless you want me to call you Truman all the time."  
  
He grimaced. "Certainly not." He turned back around and Dandelion made a face at her words. She was acting like her twin sisters when they mooned over this lad or that at the Great Smials!  
  
Suddenly, Eomer trotted in, two hobbits in strange attire attached by their ears to his hands. Without a glance from her uncle (but many a pleading look from the two younger hobbits, whom she now recognized), they walked past the four that had stayed inside, out the down, and down the hall. Rogo and Hedor came in next.  
  
"What was that, Pa?" Rolo asked eagerly.  
  
Rogo shook his head. "Those two boys makin' some sort o' mischief or other. Dressed in right outlandish clothes, they were. I don't know quite what to make o' it."  
  
"I do," Hedor said. All eyes turned to him in confusion. "Green garments, blonde hair, one on top of the other to make themselves taller - they were dressing up as Elves, though for what purpose I cannot imagine."  
  
Dandelion and Poppy looked at each other, understanding dawning on them. "Elves," Dandelion repeated, sighing. Theo and Mat were in for it, this time.  
  
* * *  
  
A Whole Lotta Notes  
  
*Baggins Day - Halimath (Hobbitish name for September) 22, Frodo and Bilbo's birthday. A non-canon holiday celebrated only by descendants of Mayor Samwise and a few of those of Master Meriadoc and Thain Peregrin.  
  
**Winterfilth - Hobbitish name for October.  
  
***Several notes about the letter: the style and tone were inspired by a letter to Sam from the King that was supposed to be in the Epilogue to LOTR. It didn't make it into the book, unfortunately, but can be found in "The End of the Third Age" Part 4 of the History of "The Lord of the Rings". Faramir and Eowyn's children's names were not recorded, so I have created the character of Boromir III. Narie, or Forelithe, is June and Cermie, or Afterlithe, is July. I may have fudged on the time it would have taken to get from Gondor to the Shire, but this is my best guess. Also, there should be two little dots over the 'e' at the end of Narie and Cermie, but my computer won't make them.  
  
valerie- Thanks for your review! I'm glad I could help. :-)  
  
acorngirl- I'm glad you enjoyed the references. I have a strange affection for obscure trivia. I'm sure I sounded desperate in the last chapter; I thought nobody liked the story anymore. :-( Nice to see they still do! I also like good female characters, as long as they're realistic. Thanks for your review!  
  
cheerleader15- Though it may take *forever* for me to update, I will never abandon this story. It'll get finished- sooner or later (most likely the latter!).  
  
Whew! Hope this was worth the long wait. See you next time and, of course, tell me what you thought and review! 


	14. Crime and Punishment?

Disclaimer - Still not mine. How disappointing, I know.  
  
A/N - Sorry! Sorry! I truly meant to post this a month ago. Truly. Then my teachers got together and said, "Hey! Why don't we give our students two papers, a project, and a pile of tests?" Not a good thing, and I'm afraid I've gotten very used to writing in the formal paper style, so I hope this chapter isn't extremely boring. On the bright side, only 10 days of school left, and I'll be able to write more in the summer! :-) Also, I've (finally) figured out how to make accents over letters like in the name Éomer and I'll (eventually) update the past chapters to reflect this. Not too much of Dandy, Poppy, and Tru, but lots of Theo and Mat in this chapter. Hobbit lads tend to take over a chapter, I've found, but we'll get back to the older hobbits next time. Enough of boring you with my excuses, on to the chapter you've been waiting patiently for. ;-)  
  
Chapter 14 - Crime and Punishment?  
  
"What do you mean, 'Elves'?" Tru repeated. "And why do you two have such knowing looks on your faces?"  
  
"Remember the day we first came to Brandy Hall?" Dandelion replied. Tru nodded while Rogo, Rolo, and Hedor listened silently. "Theo told us that day that there had been rumors of Elves being seen in Buckland, although no one in Brandy Hall had actually seen any. I had nearly forgotten about it."  
  
"Aye, miss, now that you mention it I do recall something o' the sort being passed around in the pub up at Newbury, the Howling Dog," Rolo said helpfully. He reddened in embarrassment as all eyes turned his way. "Sorry, miss, I didn't mean t'interrupt."  
  
"No, no, that's quite all right. What did you hear at the Howling Dog?" Dandelion questioned.  
  
Rolo scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm, that must've been around the end o' Wedmath*, when I was talkin' to Carl Brown. 'Rolo,' he says to me, 'you would never believe what the big to-do is over at Brandy Hall.'  
  
"'If you don't tell me, we'll never know,' I said back to him.  
  
"'There's all sorts of folks a-saying they've seen Elves at night, in fields and yards, just dancing and having a time by themselves!' he said loud enough for the whole pub to hear. I elbowed him an' told him he'd had too much ale, but he said he had not and every word was true. I never believed him, an' looks like I was right, after all," Rolo finished proudly.  
  
"I don't believe it." Tru sighed and shook his head.  
  
"I do," Dandelion said, looking out of the doorway and down the hall as if she could see her cousin. "I can see Theo coming up with such a stunt, and Mat going for it willingly, but I don't know why they would behave like that. They should know better. Theo's seventeen, and Mat just turned seventeen as well, I think. Uncle Éomer will be livid."  
  
* * *  
  
Éomer paced the carpet in front of his son and his friend. The Master had found a small room, likely an unused sitting room, and Theo and Mat had sat down on two dusty chairs wordlessly. Both hobbit lads knew they were in big trouble; it was a risk they had taken to do, as Theo had put it, "something interesting." Mat toyed uncertainly with the hat, which Éomer had dropped on the ground and he had grabbed as they were being marched back in. He glanced out of the corner of his eye at Theo, who was slouched in his seat, head lowered, shadows flickering on his face in the candlelight. Éomer suddenly whirled to face them and the younger hobbits instinctively pressed back against their chairs as if to escape his gaze.  
  
"Can either of you tell me what you were doing?" Neither answered, but each guiltily looked to the floor or at his furry toes. "Théoden, I believe you are the elder miscreant here. Can you explain what you could possibly be thinking? And face me when I'm speaking to you, young hobbit!"  
  
Theo swallowed and slowly met his father's eyes. One eyebrow was raised questioningly and the expression in the light blue eyes was enough to freeze the Brandywine in midsummer. "We, um, were just playing, Father."  
  
"What did your mother and I explicitly tell you not to do?" Éomer asked, voice steady but quietly menacing.  
  
"Not to go out of Brandy Hall, sir. But I--"  
  
Éomer crossed his arms. "But you what? I'd like to hear how you can word it differently and still be within Brandy Hall." Theo bit his lip, his eyes wavering as if trying to look away and not look away at the same time, and said nothing. "I thought as much. What do you have to say for yourself, Matta Goold?" he barked unexpectedly and Mat jumped slightly.  
  
"I - I was - the bottom, sir," he squeaked quickly, then winced and stared at the floor again.  
  
"I see. Do your parents know you are out?" Éomer queried, knowing well the answer. Mat shook his head, honey-colored curls bouncing. "Ah. So you have both left your homes without parental permission, only to arrive here - in the hopes of seeing a Man and scaring some people for no reason." Theo opened his mouth, silently objecting to this, and his father turned to him. "Oh? Was there a reason?"  
  
Theo's mouth spoke before his brain had quite caught up with what was happening and blurted out, "We wanted to do something exciting. Like an adventure."  
  
"An adventure," Éomer repeated. "And what if, on this 'adventure', you had gotten hurt, or sick again, or damaged someone's property? What then? And what if you had gotten lost?"  
  
"We would't've," Theo protested. "Roan knows his way back home from anywhere in the Shire."  
  
"You rode Roan here? Did you cool him down properly? I daresay you galloped all this way - from Brandy Hall to Crickhollow and then to the East Gate, I'd think nearly five miles, with no water or anything waiting at the end. You should know better than that, Théoden - you do know better than that. I'm very disappointed in you - this includes you, Master Goold," he added sharply. Mat's head came back up with a jerk. "It's too late to send you back now. I shall personally take you back to Crickhollow and inform your parents of this behavior. As for you, Théoden, I am too angry to talk to you at the moment. Go see to your pony, the pair of you. We'll talk in the morning."  
  
"Yes, sir," the lads responded softly. Mat left the room with alacrity, but Theo paused at the door and half turned back. His father was standing facing the round window, hands clasped behind his stern back. Theo's shoulders slumped and he followed Mat. Éomer listened to their shuffling, retreating footsteps and sighed, only half noting the dark, menacing clouds getting closer.  
  
* * *  
  
Theo was glad Mat found a way out of the Bounder-house without having to go through the kitchen/dining room. He didn't want to have to explain their antics to Dandy and Poppy and Tru, not to mention the Bounders and Man. He couldn't, really, explain it to himself; there was just something exciting about sneaking off and pretending to be someone else. He knew Mat felt this way, as well. They both had a sense of - well, restlessness, in the Shire. Everything happened the same way every year. Yes, sometimes there were thieves or arguments over land or livestock, but nothing like the War. Nothing that demanded bravery and fighting and a chance to go to new places and meet new people, new races. Elves, Men, Wizards, even Dwarves were seen rarely, if ever in the Shire now. Theo wondered what it would have been like to have been in the War.  
  
He realized with a shock that they had reached the ponies and lone horse. There was a slight cool breeze that smelled faintly of smoke, and Mat was looking at him expectantly. "What is it?" Theo asked.  
  
His friend gestured vaguely. "How are we supposed to cool him down? We haven't a brush or anything..." He trailed off as Theo pulled a currycomb out of his father's saddlebags.  
  
"My father is always prepared," he said simply as he put the currycomb down and unsaddled Roan carefully. Mat patted the pony's nose comfortingly and took off his bridle. The reddish-brown pony snorted and lipped his hands, searching for a treat.  
  
"Sorry," Mat told him. "I don't have anything for you." Roan looked at him in a disapproving manner and a smile quirked the hobbit's mouth slightly. Mat looked at his friend and the smile disappeared. He knew the Master's opinion meant a lot to Theo and that his father was displeased with him was a bitter blow.  
  
"I should've been more responsible." This statement was spoken so softly Mat wondered if he had actually heard it.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said I should've been more responsible," Theo repeated. "Father's right, I need to start acting my age. I'm seventeen now; in a few more years I'll be a tween. I should act like I have some sense, not a head full of clouds."  
  
Mat frowned. "But tweens are always irresponsible. And teens - which, my dear Brandybuck, you are one of - even more so."  
  
"It's different for me. I'm going to be the Master of Buckland one day and I will have to be responsible for everything I do - for everything Buckland, as a whole, does." Theo sighed and, giving Mat the brush, walked to Roan's head. The pony nudged him and whickered affectionately. With his fingers, the hobbit began to untangle Roan's mane. In a low voice meant only for the pony's sharp ears, Theo said, "I cannot botch that, too."  
  
A rumbling in the distance startled both hobbits and the animals as well. The gentle breeze suddenly increased in intensity and whistled among the tree's leaves. A few large drops of water splashed around the Bounder-house. "A storm is coming!" Mat exclaimed.  
  
"I know," Theo replied, turning apprehensively to Roan and the others.  
  
"Should we go ask your father what to do?"  
  
"I think we--" Theo cut off abruptly as the Bounder followed by his father came outside, both shrugging on coats with hoods.  
  
"Get inside!" the Master yelled over the clamor of the wind. "There is a stable nearby. Rogo and I will take care of the ponies and the Man's horse!"  
  
"I'll help!" Theo said stoutly. Mat nodded. Both lads' resolve weakened for a fleeting moment as a forked streak of lightning lit the sky. Hedor's large beast reared, hooves pounding the air and growing rain.  
  
Accompanied by a clap of thunder, Hedor crouched under the low doorway and sped to his animal, taking its lead rope and stroking its muzzle in an attempt to soothe it. Éomer pointed at the house and shouted, "Théoden and Matta, you will go inside!"  
  
Stubbornly, his son protested, "You lot cannot take six ponies and a horse in one trip! Mat and I can assist you. You can get them all in the stable in one trip!"  
  
Éomer huffed but gave in, tossing Snow's reins to Mat and grabbing the reins of Cloud, his own dapple gray pony, and Sunbeam. Rogo calmly took Dusk and the Bounders' pony, which had been contentedly eating grass and paying no heed to the storm. He assumed the head of the line to the stable, a house-like structure that was rather precarious in appearance but sturdy in form. Hedor had to pull his horse's head down so it would not hit the frame on the diminutive door. The hobbits quickly relieved the animals of burdens and stabled them, joined by the willing hands of the Messenger. They gathered around the door, hoping futilely for a lull in the rainstorm. "There's naught else for it," said the Master. "We'll have to make a dash for the Bounder-house." He tucked his cloak and hood snugly about Theo. Rogo gave his to Mat. "Ready? Go!"  
  
* * *  
  
Poppy looked anxiously out of the window in the Bounder-house. With the first snarl of lightning and thunder, Éomer and the Bounder had hastened outside, presently accompanied by Hedor. The four younger hobbits had been left inside with naught to do but wait, a situation that was not relished by Dandelion. The Took, clearly unused to and disgruntled by waiting, paced behind the other three. "Where could they be? Whatever could possibly be taking so long?"  
  
Rolo piped up in an obliging manner. "To the stable, miss, where we keep message ponies for emergency post an' other Bounder business. It's back a bit, not terribly far. They should be along any minute."  
  
Tru tried to calm Dandelion down, as it was clear her fretting would soon spread to Poppy, and then the hobbit was quite sure he would not know what to do. "It's just an autumn storm, Dandelion. They spring up fast but they can leave as quickly. Why are you so nervous?"  
  
"I've never liked storms," she answered, going over to stand between him and Poppy. "Not ever since I was small." Poppy flashed her a quick grin, remembering all too well a stormy winter night, a frightened, shivering hobbit lass, and a short-lived argument. Another streak of blinding light tore through the sky, illuminating the dark yard for a fleeting moment. Dandelion pointed outside. "There they are!"  
  
* * *  
  
A scant hour later and both young lads had been bathed, courtesy of the Bounder-house washroom (and accompanied by quiet bathing songs Dandelion heard when she laid fluffy pile of towels outside the door, then walked away, smiling), warmly dressed in the smallest Bounder clothes that could be found (but which were, unfortunately, several sizes too large), and tucked warmly into bed with orders not to rise without the Master's leave. The Master in question was now sitting by the fire in his room (another courtesy of the Bounders), smoking on his pipe reflectively. His blue eyes glowed in the light from the dancing flames and the gray, misty smoke that twisted its way about his head seemed eerie and spectral in the dwindling bursts of lightning which shone through his window.  
  
Not that any of this registered in Éomer's mind. Rather, his thoughts dwelt on his son, who at times seemed two different hobbits: one, the cheerful, albeit foolish, prankster he had once again proved himself to be that evening, and the other a strange, new, responsible hobbit who was capable of facing even a powerful storm (a horror that long hunted young hobbits) to help those in need.  
  
Éomer took another pull on his pipe and breathed out the vapors slowly. He hoped June wasn't too worried; he would need her in a sensible mood on the morrow, when he would have a serious discussion with her. He quenched the pipe and placed it on the table next to the bed, then got into the bed and pulled his covers about him, quickly falling asleep.  
  
* * *  
  
"I still can hardly believe," Tru said, shaking his head and making his brown curls bob. "Elves and all that mess, and then going out into the rain an' lightning like that! Will wonders never cease?"  
  
"Will young hobbits ever stop being surprisingly capable in small emergencies?" Dandelion replied rhetorically.  
  
"I hope not." Poppy smiled.  
  
"Aye, miss, and that's true to be sure!" Rolo exclaimed, then looked shocked to be doing so in front of hobbit 'gentry'. The younger three laughed at his expression, making him blush and seize the poker to stir the logs of the fire in the kitchen.  
  
"So, now, you call this 'pipe-weed'?" Hedor asked with no small interest, inhaling a deep breath before exhaling it into a lopsided shape, somewhat recognizable as an oval. He beamed with pride.  
  
Rogo gave a chuckle and emitted a perfectly round gray circle. "Aye, sir. I don't know what they would call it down in your country, but hobbits have been smoking it for years an' years."  
  
"I did hear a rumor that the king himself could blow out smoke on a whim, but then I've also head that the king was once a drifting stranger who both looked and acted the part of a common thief." Hedor and Rogo both were startled at the giggles of laughter that arose from the other table, but when they turned to see all of the younger hobbits were standing up to go to bed with perfectly innocent countenances. They bid their elders good night and went off to their bedrooms and Hedor and Rogo were in such deep conversation about the plant that they did not hear the outbreak of merriment coming from the girls' room a few minutes later.  
  
* * *  
  
*Wedmath - Hobbitish name for August.  
  
Return of the A/N - I hope that made up for lost time! Next chapter's in the works: Dandy and the rest return to Brandy Hall; June has a talk with both male Brandybucks; and (maybe) another journey begins! But not necessarily to where you think...  
  
cheerleader15 - Mischief indeed. :-) Glad you liked it. I'm reliving a hobbity childhood I never actually had... (Now I feel old! I'm only a teen!)  
  
acorngirl - After much searching and scouring (though not of the Shire), I managed to find a very nice new muse. Great to find someone else with my obscure reference passion! Friends think I'm nitpicky... If Dandy ever makes it there (ominous music)! Okay, that was a little melodramatic (perfect blue sky over a Shire-green field filled with cute bunnies muttering something about 'second breakfast' and nibbling contentedly on mushrooms). That was just strange...  
  
Please review! 


	15. Back to Buckland

Disclaimer - You know this, right? "The Lord of the Rings", etc., aren't mine; the plot and all new characters are.  
  
A/N - I tried to get this chapter out faster, but alas! Real life has been greedily taking most of my time. Hope you enjoy it!  
  
Chapter 15 - Back to Buckland  
  
Someone was calling her name.  
  
"Dandy? Dandelion, wake up. It's morning. Are you awake? Dandelion?"  
  
The same Someone was also shaking her, Dandelion guessed from the rocking motion.  
  
"Dandy! Wake up, you stubborn Took!"  
  
Dandelion did not want to wake up. She wanted to hold onto her dream just a little while longer, to try and puzzle out its meaning. It had been a very strange dream...  
  
"Dandelion Took!"  
  
...Tru had been shooting an arrow towards the moon, which had howled in pain when the arrow hit it. But the moon could not howl, like a dog or wolf could. What an odd dream.  
  
"Dandy!"  
  
"Hmm? What?" Dandelion's eyes opened slowly, revealing Poppy in front of her. The other hobbit sighed and stopped shaking her.  
  
"Well, thank you for returning to the land of the waking! I've been trying to rouse you for a good five minutes!"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, Poppy, I was thinking about..." Dandelion's brow furrowed. What had she been thinking about? Something about a dream, and the moon. At least she thought it had been. She attempted to remember it, but it was like holding the Brandywine in her cupped hands. Already it was slipping through her mind. She shook her head, her blond curls falling in front of her eyes. She pushed them away and yawned. "What's the time?"  
  
"Almost time for elevensies, by now," Poppy answered, sitting on the other's bed and crossing her arms.  
  
Dandelion's eyebrows shot up. "Elevensies?"  
  
"Mm-hmm," Poppy replied, catching her look. "And don't give me that indignant glare. Master Éomer knocked on our door and woke me up only a few minutes before I was given the task of waking you." A smile quirked the edges of her mouth that she tried to hide. "The lads are making elevensies by now, I should think. They were given the job by the Master."  
  
Dandelion grinned outright and pushed away her covers. "What about Tru? And the Bounders," she added quickly.  
  
"The Bounders have been taking shifts throughout the night, of course. They didn't know when we were to wake up, so they gave us a bit of a lie-in. Tru probably woke up a couple of minutes ago, since he's not such a slug-a-bed as you are." Poppy smirked, causing Dandelion to hit her with a pillow. "Ow!"  
  
Dandelion stuck her nose in the air, trying not to laugh. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get dressed."  
  
The pillow caught her a glancing blow in the head but Poppy dashed out of the room before she could retaliate. "Elevensies is in a quarter hour!"  
  
* * *  
  
After the meal (which, in hobbit fashion, was long and generous, and no worse for being made by two hobbit lads), Hedor stood and bowed to the Master. "If you will excuse me, sir, I must be on my way."  
  
Dandelion looked at him in curiosity. "Where else do you have to take the message, Hedor?"  
  
"To Rivendell, and the Queen's brothers. I shall return in a few weeks. Is that enough time, sir?" he asked Éomer.  
  
The hobbit nodded. "I will be sure to send a letter to the Bounders, telling them how many will be going to Minas Tirith."  
  
"Thank you." The Man bowed again. He retrieved his cloak from a peg on the wall where it had been left the night before and, stooping to get under the round door's frame, exited the Bounder-house. He nodded to Rolo, who had saddled his horse and was now waiting patiently for him outside. He mounted (with surprising gracefulness, considering how enormous both he and his horse were). "Thank you for your hospitality," he said formally to the Bounders, then a sudden smile brightened his face, "and for--"  
  
Rogo chuckled. "Nonsense! What's a pipeful between friends? You keep practicing, now."  
  
"I will." Hedor smiled again and rode past the gate Rogo held open for him. The hobbits stared as he disappeared into the trees.  
  
"He's going through the Old Forest?" Rolo asked in a shocked whisper.  
  
"Aye." Rogo scratched the back of his neck thoughtfully. "Rangers will come through it now an' again, if they've a mind to. Big People, friendly or no, are strange, an' no mistake!"  
  
Inside, Theo hesitantly put forth the question, "Father, what do you mean by 'how many are going to Minas Tirith'?" Mat's eyes glanced up temporarily from his plate, then darted back down.  
  
Éomer raised an eyebrow. "Oh, didn't hear that part of the conversation, did you?"  
  
"We didn't hear any of it!" Theo replied indignantly, then hastily amended, "Sir."  
  
"The Steward of Gondor and his wife have died," Éomer told them shortly. Theo's eyes widened and Mat looked up, his forgotten fork halfway to his mouth. "Lord Faramir's son, Boromir, is now the Steward. The King and Queen have invited the Thain, the Mayor, or myself to Gondor. We may also bring some others, if we wish." A bright, excited look grew in Theo's eyes that his father did not notice, or at least said nothing about. The older hobbit stood up. "Are all of you done?" Heads nodded around the table and Mat finally put down his fork. "We must be off, as well. We have to stop at Crickhollow," Mat's ears went pink at the tips and Theo looked down guiltily, "before we reach Brandy Hall, where there shall be a serious discussion, Théoden." He looked at the two lads with an unreadable expression on his face, then left the room.  
  
Dandelion waited a moment, then picked up her own plate to give to Theo (the boys also had the task of washing up after elevensies). She tugged on his sleeve to get him to look at her and whispered, "Whatever were you two thinking, Theo?"  
  
Theo shrugged uncomfortably and frowned. "You sound like my father," he said grouchily, then turned to get the others' plates.  
  
Dandelion sighed. Poppy caught her eye and raised an eyebrow in question, but Dandelion shook her head. Poppy stood and said brightly, "Right, then. Why don't I gather our things and you two can get our ponies ready?" She swept out of the room, ignoring Dandelion's piercing glare and Tru's forehead creasing.  
  
"Aren't the Bounders getting the ponies ready?"  
  
"Well, they are supposed to be guarding the Bounds, aren't they? We can get them ready easily enough," Dandelion replied, silently vowing to talk to Poppy back at the Hall.  
  
The two hobbits made their way down the path that Rolo directed them towards, hampered only slightly by puddles of rainwater and patches of mud. 'You've talked to him alone before, Dandelion Took,' the lass thought to herself, 'How is this any different?' She took a deep breath of the damp air and opened her mouth.  
  
"Doesn't everything smell fresh after a rainstorm?" Tru asked suddenly, surprising her so much she nearly didn't jump over a small pool of water in her path.  
  
"Oh," she answered and breathed in deeply again. "You're right, it smells like, like the world is new."  
  
"And wet," Tru added, and they both laughed. They reached the stable and he held the door open for her.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"You are quite welcome."  
  
Dandelion went first to Sunbeam and stroked the darker fur that ran down the pony's nose. "Did they take good care of you, then?" she asked softly and the pony nickered back in answer. "Come on," the Took crooned, gently guiding her out of the stall and quickly saddling her. She eased the bridle onto her head and put the bit in her mouth carefully. "There's a good lass," the hobbit praised. "Now you wait here a minute while I get the rest and we'll go for a ride, hmm?" Sunbeam nodded her head and followed her movements around the stable attentively.  
  
Tru watched both hobbit and pony out of the corner of his eye and murmured thoughtfully to Dusk, "Strange creatures lasses are, to be sure." The silver pony flicked his tail, catching his master in the face. "None of that, now," Tru said sternly and the pony quieted, though his tail continued to sweep from side to side serenely.  
  
The pair made quick work of getting the other ponies ready and soon were leading them down the sodden path to the Bounder-house, each with a fistful of reins in one hand. Tru was telling a comical story of how hard training a litter of puppies was and Dandelion was laughing appreciatively as they secured the ponies' reins to the tree in front of the Bounder-house.  
  
Poppy came out of the Bounder-house, her arms full, and stood at the door, grinning at her friends, until Dandelion noticed her and called out hastily, "Bring our things here, please, Poppy, and we'll wait on Uncle Éomer and the lads."  
  
Poppy looked behind her and replied, "They're all coming. You had better free the ponies' reins from that tree."  
  
Dandelion and Tru did so speedily while Poppy sorted out whose belongings were whose. She handed the other two their piles as the Master, Theo, and Mat exited the Bounder-house. Tru courteously helped the lasses mount their respective ponies and was surprised when they rode astride them instead of sidesaddle. "How can you - I mean, were you riding like this yesterday? I didn't notice, but I thought you would ride sidesaddle, like lasses usually do."  
  
Dandelion laughed. "Don't be silly, Tru. Our skirts are separated for riding astride a pony," she explained. "Poppy had the idea to go riding yesterday, before we heard about Hedor, so we were already wearing our riding skirts, and Aunt June brought us another skirt each before we left. So we, unlike some ill-prepared hobbits, don't have to wear the same clothes two days in a row." She looked pointedly at Tru, Theo, and Mat as Poppy stifled a giggle.  
  
Theo and Mat shared a look that clearly said, "Lasses." Tru made a face at Dandelion, causing her to laugh, and then mounted his own pony. Éomer looked around. "Are we ready? Right, let's be off." He kneed his pony into a brisk trot as the younger hobbits followed and waved at the Bounders, who waved back in reply.  
  
"Well, that was something different an' no mistake about it," Rogo said, turning back to face the gate.  
  
"Aye," Rolo agreed. "I think that's enough adventure for any hobbit."  
  
* * *  
  
It wasn't long before the group neared a small house - Crickhollow. Dandelion heard the hoof-beats behind her slowing and easily identified whose pony they belonged to. Theo sent his friend what was meant to be an encouraging smile, but turned into a pained grimace along the way. It did nothing to help Mat, who was slumped in his saddle, dread on his face. Soon the ponies were passing through the gate and stopping in the lawn in front of the door. A small face appeared in a window, then vanished from sight. A minute later, as Éomer and the lads were dismounting, a hobbit woman burst out of the door and grabbed Mat in a firm embrace.  
  
"Matta Goold!" she exclaimed, bending down to look into his face. "Where were you? Your father and I were worried sick! Wil went up to Brandy Hall after we found you were gone to ask the Master--" It was at this point that she noticed her son wasn't alone in her yard and she curtsied to the Master with a startled gasp. "Master Éomer! Wherever did you find him? Did you meet Wil at the Hall? He's not with you..." she trailed off as she realized the absence of her eldest.  
  
"Mistress Goold," Éomer answered quickly, "Unfortunately, I've been away from the Hall since yesterday. I had an urgent message from the Big Folk in the South, and my son knew we were riding to meet the Messenger at the Bounder-house at the Gate and decided to follow us. He also came to Crickhollow last night and persuaded your son to come along and engage in some, shall we say, mischievous doings. I trust you and Hal will have a talk with him? I must talk with you, as well, but I have to hurry on to the Hall. I'll send word with Wil, if I may."  
  
Mira Goold nodded, her face angry, and curtsied again to the two Brandybucks as they mounted their ponies. The last thing Dandelion heard as they rode out of Crickhollow's gate was her furious voice scolding Mat and a slam of a door. She winced, recognizing all too well the sounds preceding some dire punishment, and knew Mat would not be the last lad to be treated such that day. She glanced at Theo and realized he understood it also.  
  
Dandelion was not surprised, therefore, when the five hobbits were welcomed by the sight of the Mistress of Brandy Hall herself outside one of the Hall's front doors, her figure the definition of impatient frustration. Tru and Dandelion took the Master and Theo's ponies' halters (Poppy making no move to get off of her pony but opting to smile secretly instead, Dandelion noticed) as they walked slowly to Aunt June.  
  
"Bed empty!" she greeted them. "Pony gone! It is only by some fortune that I was passing your room and heard that puppy scratching at your door and let him out so you would not have a mess in there to clean up! And of course I knew where you were off to, and then a storm last night and Wil Goold here this morning to see if Mat was here! You, my lad," she looked at her son, "are going to have some serious explaining to do."  
  
"Yes, ma'am," Theo said meekly as she proceeded into the Hall, leaving the lasses and Tru to take care of the animals.  
  
"I am certainly glad I was not a disobedient youth," Tru remarked quietly. Dandelion snorted and he grinned at her. The much diminished group continued on to Brandy Hall's stables while talking amongst themselves.  
  
* * *  
  
Theo had been sent to his room, properly chastised and awaiting sentencing on his deeds. The Master and Mistress were now having a conversation on said hobbit lad, though anyone who overheard it would have thought the better word was quarrel.  
  
"You want him - and Mat Goold! - to come with you?!" June said in an outraged tone.  
  
"Dearest, please listen. I did not come to this conclusion quickly but I'm convinced it's the best idea."  
  
"'Best idea' indeed!" June sniffed in exasperation. "You know as well as I do that's the only thing he wants! If you allow him to go to that Big Persons' country," she waved her arm in a vague manner to the south, "he will think he's been given a reward for such behavior as you say he displayed. Besides that fact, what if he suffers a recurrence of brullia from being out in the wet?"  
  
Éomer found an opening and took quick advantage of it. "He's not displayed any signs of illness since last night, and I think it would have shown itself by now if he was sick. June, I know why Theo is acting like this. I acted much the same when I was his age, though on a lesser scale. Do you know why I did it?" June shook her head expectantly. "Because of the same reason he is now: he's weary of the Shire and its peacefulness. He would much prefer for something exciting to happen, and then he would be more content with the Shire."  
  
June thought about this for a moment and Éomer could tell she was only now seriously considering the idea. "So, you believe that by taking the lads to - what was it called again?"  
  
"Minas Tirith," Éomer said promptly.  
  
"- to Minas Tirith," June frowned slightly at the strangeness of the name, "they will settle down when they return? Conduct themselves with manners that would be expected of young gentlehobbits, as opposed to wild ruffians?"  
  
"Yes," her husband replied firmly.  
  
"And you would, of course, keep an eye on them at all times?" June pierced him with a look of the kind that only mothers are able to produce.  
  
"Of course," Éomer answered, his own years of rebellious teen- and tweenagerhood being recalled at the look.  
  
"Then," June sighed, "if you can convince Mira and Hal, the lads may accompany you to Minas Tirith."  
  
"Good," Éomer said brightly. "Now, I must write the Goolds and Faramir and Goldi. Wil can take the letter to his parents and Dandy-lass will take the letter to the Thain. Then, I must have a talk with Cousin Tunneler..." he left the room, still telling himself what needed to be done in the few weeks before a company of hobbits would meet the King's Messenger at the Bounder-house.  
  
* * *  
  
A/N II - Didn't get to the journeying bit this chapter, but we will next chapter. Promise! :-) In a week or so, I'll be off north to visit my own cousins, so I don't know how fast I'll be able to get the next chapter up. But it'll be up sooner or later! Have a good July 4th, everyone! Don't forget to review on your way out, there's a good reader...  
  
acorngirl - Wow...[blushes] Thanks! Oh, that's a good way of putting it: 'seductiveness of adventure'. Remember that! (Hint, hint.)  
  
Beaux Folle - Oh, you changed your name! Threw me for a loop, for a minute. :-) I like it, though. I'm glad I got Theo's responsibility to come off right. School's over, hooray! Don't worry, I won't kill myself! Badger myself relentlessly, but not kill myself. ;-) 


End file.
